Is It Really Easier Having No Options?
by Meechums
Summary: The Children of the Moon finally strike in Forks. Their target: a 15 year-old boy. How does Leah cope with her Imprinting on the kid? LeahxOC. R&R Chapter 17, "Council" is up!
1. Interesting

In the quiet forests of the small, wet town, Forks, Washington, was the slightest rustling of damp leaves against the earthen forest floor. The quiet snapping of twigs and tree branches. The wind that followed the protectors of the Quiluete reservation La Push, and of Forks was a wind of justice. They completely disregarded the ancient treaty lines that used to bar them from crossing borders as they pleased. The wolves had a mission this dark, cloudy night.

The two packs moved discreetly and united as one, through the dense thickets at their alpha's commands. They were searching for the source of the loud howl that sounded an hour earlier. The howl of a savage, uncivilized beast. One that did not belong to any wolf of either of the two packs, maybe two, they were uncertain.

The wolves searched in pairs. Jacob and Leah, Sam and Paul, Jared and Embry, and Seth and Quil. All hunting voraciously. All hunting carefully, to leave Forks under its oblivious safeguard for the supernatural. Somethings people should not know. This was one of them.

They took different directions in search of their prey. Sam and Jacob communicating with each other telepathically, as the spokesper...Spokeswolf for their two packs. Then relaying messages back to their individual packs via the same method. As an alpha, it was a part of their responsibility.

_Maybe you should double back to get the Cullens. To let them know what's going on. _Sam suggested to Jacob, using his mental voice.

_No, _Jacob answered, his eyes still scanning his surroundings for danger. _We still have no evidence that says they were here for sure. When we find something, then we can rally the troops. 'Sides, they have as good hearing as we do, and they don't sleep, so they heard the howls too and aren't concerned._

_They? _Jacob saw Sam stop in his thoughts, confusing Paul, then to catch him. Reassuming his place at the front of their two-man formation. _You think it has something to do with those 'Children of the Moon' that Volturi leech was supposed to have hunted to near extinction? Me too._

_Yeah, look at the sky. _Jacob reminded him. Then used his mind to show Sam pictures of the full moon tonight. His paws crunching the twigs beneath them. His beta, Leah Clearwater hot on his heels at his right flank. _I just don't know what would bring them here...But then again, Forks does attract all sorts of weird stuff._

Jacob stopped and threw his muzzle to the sky, emitting a sharp howl into the clouded night sky – The signal for his pack to return home for the night. Even after it faded into the darkness, it echoed in his mind. The members of his pack all replayed the howl in their minds for confirmation, and subsequently, in the packs linked mind.

_Gotcha', See you later Jake. _Quil and Embry both bid their farewells for the night, returning home to La Push to sleep, and the next day, be with the people most important to them, their imprinted. When they were safely in their backyards, away from anything, or one, that they could injure, they phased back into human form.

_Minus two voices in my head. _It was a long night, and all the prolonged running through Forks and neighboring La Push agitated Jacob. All this time he could have been spending sleeping, or watching Renesmee sleep; Wasted.

_I'm going to stay at the Cullen's tonight. _Seth's thoughts sounded weary. _Emmett invited me over to play some football video games. He says that you and Leah can come too._ Seth did not sound like he would make it through their first simulated fourteen minute quarter.

_Don't stay up too late. _Leah scolded. _And I probably won't be there, that blond bloodsucker's a bitch._

_Okay._ Seth ran to his appointment and his thoughts went silent.

_I doubt you need me to babysit you Leah. _Jacob glanced over his right shoulder, looking his female beta; the first ever woman beta; the first ever woman to make the change into wolf-hood, in the eye. _I just don't want you stalking me to sneak a peek at me after I phase back to my lean, tall, muscular self. _He barked a laugh. _That snake that's always stuck to me says he might bite._ He watched Leah's face twist. Even in her wolf form, she had the most distinctive rolling of the eyes in Forks or La Push.

_...And who exactly was it that pretended to hang out with Seth at my house, conveniently when I'd be leaving the steaming bathroom after my shower wearing nothing but a towel. _Jacob and Leah had made some progress in the last couple months. Moving past their "friendly" understanding, to actually being able to tolerate one anothers' humor. Maybe they could be friends...One day. _Such a perv. Being a dog suits you more than it does me._ She smiled, showing her razor sharp teeth.

_Whatever,_ Jacob turned his head in shame. _I'm going to make another round before I go to the Cullen's. Make sure the forests are safe. _Jacob could not resist the urge for another witty jab. _Get some beauty sleep. God knows you need it._ It could only be a joke. Jacob knew Leah knew that he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. Pre-Renesmee anyway.

_I'm coming with you. _Leah completely disregarded his last jeer.

_Fine, _Jacob growled._Don't slow me down._

The two ran through the constant stream of trees and bushes at neckbreaking speeds. Of course, being the fastest of all the wolves, Leah could have catapulted her relatively small gray body past Jacob, but she didn't. She respectfully ran at her rightful place as beta, at his right flank. Nearing the end of their circuit, a loud, earsplitting, primal sound ripped through the forest. It was a mixture between an agonized sounding howl, and an arrogant roar of victory, all wrapped into one. It rang throughout the dark skies again. Then Jacob realized that there were two of the gutteral shrieks, not one.

_Jacob! _Sam yelled mentally into Jacob's thoughts. _We're right, they are here at the border. Two to be exact. My pack is fighting them. They're strong, and fast._ Sam's thoughts stopped flowing into his mind. For a moment, Jacob was worried. Sam resumed after a long ten seconds. _We fought tougher newborn vampires two winters ago._

_I'm on my way. _Jacob used his alpha timbre. Why? He had no idea. It had no effect on other alphas. It just seemed right.

Jacob nimbly loped through the trees and fronds at his maximum speed. The small gray wolf close behind him. The wind wooshed in his ears upright hearing the entire battle through them, becoming louder by the second. Testament to the intense speed he was traveling. There was a dangerous fight brewing, and he was too far away to do anything, for now. At his current rate of speed, he would be there in eleven minutes he guessed.

_We're almost there. _Jacob called out after twelve minutes of running. _Maybe three minutes out._

_No rush. _There was a satisfied undertone in Sam's thoughts._ We just finished them. I do still want you to see these things though. But, I think I found your reason to involve the Cullen's. There's a boy here. Obviously the target of their attacks. I don't know why. He's beat up pretty good though. Maybe take him to the bloodsucking doctor._

_Carlisle. _Jacob interrupted and corrected.

_Carlisle. _Sam repeated. _The kid might run out of blood if we don't get him there._

_You want to take a bleeding human to a house full of vampires? _Jacob never lost his sense of humor. _That's some really twisted logic. _He chuckled a throaty laugh.

_Well, it would only mean more trouble to take him to a hospital._

_True. _Jacob answered. Then directed his thoughts to his pack, who ever was still phased; Leah. _Leah, _He used his alpha double timbre again. It may not affect other pack leaders, but it did affect his own pack. An order given in this voice was not to be disregarded, not to be disobeyed. _I need you to get to the Cullen's quickly. Find Edward, and tell him everything I'll show you after we split ways. Have him tell Carlisle to get his medical equipment ready. He's going to have a 'guest.'_

_Aye. _Leah made a one-eighty degree turn, and ran full throttle back the way they came.

Jacob remained on his course alone. He replayed the conversation between himself and Sam, and everything he saw along the way for Leah. His speed subconsciously decreased his speed because there was no urgency to the situation now. Sam and his pack were not in any danger. Unless, some how the slain monstrocities could ressurrect themselves. The nightlife of the forest blurred by in his periphreal vison even at his reduced pace. As he neared the scene, Jacob discovered the disgusting odor of the two _actual_ werevolves. Then, the familiar scent of his former pack and alpha. There was another strange, woodsy sent intermingled with the other two. Something he had never smelled before. It wasn't an utterly foul scent, just disconcerting to smell, because it isn't familiar to him.

_I just made it. _Leah's tense voice reverbated in the pack's shared mind. _I'm here at the Cullen's and Edward passed on my thoughts to Carlisle. He's getting things ready now. He'd like a time frame though. _

_Twenty minutes._

_Okay. See you later. _Leah remained thoughtfully quiet. This was going to take alot out of Jacob. And he knew, she knew, he knew it.

Jacob entered the dark cramped clearing he nose led him to. The overshadowing trees blotted out all but the tiniest amount of light. If it were'nt for his enhanced sight and hearing, he would have been dishovled.

_Sam! _Jacob called out. He looked around and spotted Sam on a nearby rock, hunched over in defense. He compassionately avoided killing any insects on the forest floor, walking to the two wolf corpses lying mangled and completely still. Dead. Or so they appeared. _These two here? These are dead right? _Jacob nudged one of the two large, jet-black wolf corpses.

_They bear a large resemblance to us. _Sam moved quietly, slowly, toward the motionless bodies, as if they were still a threat. Even though the La Push pack was responcible for their undoing. _They are most powerful when the moon is at twilight. They "phased," - for lack of a better word, from four-legged wolves, to bipedal creatures. Their attacks were fast, precise, and coordinated. _Sam showed Jacob his memories. Every tactic, every manuver, their nearly blinding speed, their primative, brutal force. Everything. _Very nimble, very fast. Perhaps they can speak to each other telepathically too. After we finished them, they phased back to what you see before you right now._

Jacob listened. Then lifted his nose, searching for the scent he traced on the way here. It trailed back the way he came. _That smell?_

_Remember that boy I told you was here. The one that these werewolves were attacking? _Sam asked.

_Yeah._

_That was him. I'm having some of the kids take him to Dr. Blood-is-delicious right now. They're abou five minutes out. _Sam informed him. Gazing off into the distance. Even though it was dark, they both could see for miles. One of the perks of being a shapeshifter. _He doesn't smell like a leech, but not like one of us either, and damn surely not a human. _Sam scrunched his healthily damp nose. _Unique._

_True. _Jacob rose from the ground, shaking off his fur. _What do we do with these?_ He toyed with the mangled tail of one of the actual werewolves.

_The same thing we do with vampires. Toast'em._ Sam loped to the border of the small clearing. _I'm coming back. I need to go home to get matches. In any case, Jake. You look about as dead as those _brothers_. Go get some sleep._

_Yeah. I'll get around to it. _

Both leader's ran their separate ways. To their homes. Sam to La Push, and Jacob back to Forks. Ever since that situation last winter, Jacob was allowed back into La Push with no hostility. He even mad it a habit to stop by his house to make sure Billy was alright. But that wasn't home for him. Not anymore. Wherever Renesmee' is, is home. And home, was with the Cullens. He laughed to himself.

_Home isn't one place. It's where you hang your hat that night. Jake. _Leah had been silently listening to everything that happened that night. Evidently, she couldn't pass up the chance to impart some of her wisdom on him. _The people around you make it a place to return to. Truthfully, I wish I could find my home. My mom and Charlie hanging out and Seth's best friends with the bloodsuckers. I don't know where I fit in..._

: This plot bunny has been bugging me for quite a while. Eventually, it was a full grown rabbit lol. Now maybe I can return to the Full Metal Panic! fandom in piece lol. Thanks for reading.

* * *

A/N


	2. Be Careful What You Wish For

Leah waited patiently, laying in her wolven form, on the ground in a corner of the Cullen's family room. _If Jacob hadn't used that damned voice._ She had a difficult time enough not obeying the commands of her superior. Using that '_Alpha's timbre_'_ or whatever the hell they called it,_ was an unfair advantage. She watched as Carlisle and his family finished preparing the medical equipment they had horded up in Carlisle's office.

_If no one in this damn house can get hurt, then why the fuck is it here?_ Leah looked out the glass the composed the entire back wall of the house. She pulled back her lips slightly exposing her bared, dagger-like teeth.

Sitting on the couch that had been moved to the wall to make room for the doctor paraphernalia, Edward looked up from his magazine. "It was left over from Bella's pregnancy. We kept it for sentimental value...And situations such as these." He answered Leah's silent query.

_How many times do I have to tell you to stay the hell out of my head? _Leah snapped her head over her other shoulder, to get a clear view of Edward. He smirked, not uttering another word. _So quiet now...Fucking leech. _She growled and looked at the high definition television on the wall.

Evidently, Emmett had no intention of disappointing Seth by not playing a football video game with him. He and Seth sat on the floor with their legs folded. Laughing. Something she hadn't done with Seth in a long time. Hell, even with herself in a long time. For a moment, it looked how it should be between Seth and his father. Her father, the one she would never forgive herself for shocking into cardiac arrest. Leah frowned, and scolded herself.

_I'm sorry Seth. It was an accident, but my fault nonetheless. _Leah glowered. _If this is how you deal with what I've done, how you smile at me even though I'm the one responsible. How you can tell me "It's not your fault Lee, dad had a bad heart," to try and get me to forgive myself...Then I won't give you a hard time about it. _A lone tear of internal sorrow ran down her flint fur. Then she remembered the mind reader was in the proximity. She looked at Edward again. He acted like he hadn't heard a word she said – thought. _Smart._

"Yes!" Seth sprang to his feet and happily hopped up and down. "I win!"

Everyone in the room looked at him, no doubt asking the same question in their minds, "What the?"

"C'mon kid, what's that? One out of five?" Emmett stood slowly, smiling. He wasn't visibly angry or irritated that he lost to Seth. "Noooooooooooooo!" Emmett jumped backwards and fell headfirst onto the couch next to Edward.

"So! That doesn't matter! I won!" Seth nearly squealed. Struggling to keep some significant amount of bass mixed with the almost girlish excitement in his voice.

_Damn kid, _Leah thought. _Scared the hell out of me. I wish that buff bloodsucker would stop moving around. His smell burns my nose._ She looked down the hallway and saw Esme in the kitchen cooking. She was whistling a happy tune. _When did she get there? How long was I so absorbed in my self pity for me not to notice her? I hope for the sake of her feelings that Esme isn't cooking that for me._

"About thirty minutes give or take three seconds." Edward let his gaze rest upon Leah.

_Fuck! When Jake gets here I'm going to kill him for making me let my mind get fucked by this...Vampire._ Leah ran out of derogatory slurs for her least favorite of the vampires.

Edward smiled. "He's about to open the door."

Two seconds later, Jacob and Sam walked through the front door into the living room. Leah payed no attention to the virtually obliterated, lacerated body they carried in, slung over their shoulders.

"Let's put him right here," Sam led the way to the hospital bed in the middle of the living room. Then waved a hello to Leah.

_Fuck you. _Leah shouted in her head.

Edward stifled a chuckle and called Carlisle. "Carlisle, they're here."

"I'll be down in a second!" Carlisle shouted back. He was there in a second as he promised. _Why the hell was he so literal?_

_These two assholes shit enough for all nine of these bloodsuckers. _Leah thought bitterly and shot a glance at Edward. She didn't mind if he told those two what she thought. It did hurt to be in the same room with Sam_._ But, he couldn't hear her mind, and she couldn't hear his, and that fact alone made it easier. Leah looked out the window and watched the beginning of the rain that had been looming overhead for so long.

"Wow," Carlisle, stayed completely still. "You said Children of the Moon did this?"

"Yeah," Jacob answered. Seth tried to sneak up behind him to get a better look at the body. "Seth, you don't need to see this, go hang out with blondie or something."

"But..."

"Now," Jacob didn't even let Seth voice a rebuttal. Seth's shoes clacked on the way up the wooden stairs. Emmett jogged after him, probably to get a rematch at their game after the adults finished talking.

Carlisle worked swiftly, barking out orders in his serene voice. He checked for broken bones. None. Then called Alice down with a blood I.V. and connected it to the boy's arm. She gracefully skipped back upstairs to her husband, Jasper. Sam went back to La Push halfway through the examination. Jacob sat down and fell asleep a few moments after Sam left. Carlisle, continued his work, silently now. With Edward as his nurse, all he had to do was think of the tools he needed, and Edward would get them before he asked for them. That saved time. After the last of the stitches, Carlisle stepped back to admire his handiwork.

"I think that's it." Carlisle let out a sigh of relaxation. "He should be okay by tomorrow. But something doesn't strike me as correct here. These Children of the Moon are infamous for biting, yet I see no visible signs of laceration from their teeth, only distinctive claw marks." He pressed his right index finger into the center of his forehead in thought. "And why _this_ boy?"

"I don't know." Edward solemnly said.

"I've waited so long for you to say that!" Emmett shouted loudly down the stairs. Leah checked to see if Jacob had awoken so she could be dismissed for the night. He didn't so much as flinch. _He can sleep through anything..._

Esme finally emerged from the kitchen with two plates of food in her hands. She sat one down on the glass coffee table in front of Jacob smiling sweetly. Then she sauntered over to Leah, placing the plate a few feet away from her face, still smiling.

_I really hope for the sake of her feelings, that she doesn't expect me to eat that._ Leah carefully peered out of her half closed eyelid at the sickeningly sweet smelling surrogate mother vampire._ Maybe if I'm quiet she'll go away. _Leah closed her eyes. A plate of tri-tip steak, scalloped potatoes, and asparagus gently clanked down by her face. It had been a while since she last ate. So long that even the food smelled appetizing in a house full of _leeches_. Esme sauntered over to the couch and had a seat. _Damnit, I don't have it in me to hurt her feelings tonight. Maybe tomorrow. _Leah feigned sleeping. Somewhere in the void between pretending, and reality, Leah actually did fall asleep in the corner.

* * *

"Mmuh?" The boy Jacob and Sam had brought in the night before, raised his arm to scratch his brow; to clear his eyes of the crust that came with awakening in the morning. He coughed, then raised his other arm to his mouth as he had been taught when he was younger. He brushed back his shoulder-length, wavy, black hair and heaved himself off of the hard hospital mattress. He didn't get far before the I.V. in his arm hindered his progress. He yanked it out along with the other various thin wires used to monitor his vitals. He forced himself down the hall, searching for a bathroom, one painful step after another. Then he felt a gust of cool wind behind him.

"You're not supposed to be out of bed yet." Carlisle chided, reaching to lift the boys arm up so he could stand properly, as oppossed to dragging his sore arm along the wall as he walked. The boy managed to make a leap backward and stood in a battle ready stance. It was a clumsy stance, probably because of the pain his body was enduring. Carlisle spread his lips into a thin smile. "I won't hurt you." He raised his hands to show he was unarmed, on human terms anyway. Carlisle pressed a palm to his chest. "I'm doctor Carlisle Cullen. Welcome to my home."

"Where are they." The boy's voice was laced with vengeance even in his ragged state. He swayed from foot to foot trying to keep his balance, and finally fell, making a thud. Carlisle rushed over to help. The rest of his family now aware with the exception of Bella, Edward and Renesmee, quickly appeared behind Carlisle. He effortlessly lifted the boy and carried him back to his bed.

"Where are they?" The boy asked through clenched teeth. Hatred for someone or something seethed in his voice.

"Who?" Alice stepped forward.

"Those fucking wolves!" He snapped.

Jacob opened his eyes and looked on from his sleeping position on the couch.

Leah emerged through the front door wearing much to her protest, the clothes Esme had given her. "What's with all the noise? I ignored it at first, but I can't get back to sleep." And just like that, The number of agitated people in the room doubled from one to two.

"Jasper, please." Carlisle said the two words that would calm everyone in the room. With Jasper around, situations never became fisticuff. They couldn't. He would bring an air of calm with him where ever he went. The very same air of calm that would soothe the two tense individuals in the living room. Jasper had been working on his ability as Bella had before their staging with the Volturi a year ago. Now he could focus his "gift" into certain people, not only a radius around him.

Feeling the calm wash through him, the boy willingly sat down then pressed a hand to his chest, making the same gestures Carlisle had a few minutes earlier, "Malakai Ulfang."

Finally seeing the boy in his entirety, Leah froze.

"My friends took care of them." Jacob answered the question Malakai asked. "Those wolves won't be bothering you anymore." He layed motionless on the couch.

"They're dead?" Malakai asked, his eyes widening.

"Yeah. Burnt to a crisp out in the woods."

Leah stood quietly, trying to persuade her body to go backward. Before she knew it, she launched herself at Malakai as fast as her human legs would take her. Carlisle dodged, expertly weaving himself out of the way. The mere human Malakai barely had enough time to flinch, and he couldn't do so for his arms were heavy with injury. Suddenly her lips crashed with his, interlocking them into the longest brief kiss in the history of either of their lives. Malakai couldn't fight it. If he could, he wouldn't. It was far too...enjoyable.

_Wow._

All too soon, Leah pulled back and sheepishly looked around the room. The Cullen's all looked at her, no doubt had watched the two nearly make out on the hospital bed. Leah, realizing the depth of the situation, stormed back out of the house as quickly as she came, slamming the door. The sound of designer clothes could be heard tearing as she phased to lope away. Alice cringed.

"Uh-oh," Jacob whirred to his feet. "I'll see you guys later. I gotta go...check my email" He lied.

"Don't lie, you're going to check on Leah." Rosalie assumed. "You don't need an excuse to leave. Just go. You smell like the pound and old bus seats."

"I'll get you back later," Jacob pulled off his shirt and laid it on the arm of the couch. "right now, I have to go see what's up with my beta." He ran toward the door, kicking off his shoes as they touched the cold, brushed steel door frame. Then phased after he was safely away from anything or anyone too breakable.

"Damn Jasper! What did you do?" Emmett laughed, breaking the awkwardness of the situation like he always does. "Carlisle meant for you to calm them, not make them face hump each other."

"I didn't do that!" Jasper shouted in defense pushing his arms away from his chest.

Seth finally made his way downstairs. He looked like he had just gotten up because the loud slamming of the door had interrupted his sleep.

"Hey guys," Seth yawned and scratched his head. "What's up?"

"From what it smells like, pheromones." Edward chuckled to himself as he held the door open as Bella and Renesmee entered the house. They probably heard the commotion from their cottage in the marsh.

"What?" Seth cocked his head in confusion.

"Back to the task at hand." Carlisle cleared his throat. "Why did those werewolves attack you?" He prepared himself to make mental notes of this conversation...If there had been one.

Malakai sat quietly. He hadn't moved an inch since Leah left.

"What brings you to Forks?" Carlisle tried again.

Malakai raised a hand to his cheek, but still didn't answer. He stared straight ahead, as if he could see something that wasn't actually there.

"How old are you?" Carlisle asked patiently.

Silence.

Rosalie grew tired of Carlisle's monologue and snapped her ice-cold fingers in Malakai's line of sight. He blinked and acknowledged her.

"Fifteen." Malakai slowly caught up with everything around him.

Carlisle nodded once, then continued his interview. "How are you feeling?"

"Truthfully," Malakai bowed his head. "Doctor Cullen, I don't think I can accurately answer any questions you have for me with my current state of mind."

"He's not lying," Edward said. "Mentally, he's in a tizzy." Bella looked at him with her what-are-you-talking-about stare. "I'll explain in the other room." He took her hand and the two jogged up the stairs to Edward's old room.

"Did you guys just not see what happened?" Emmett walked around the crowd of vampires to look them head on. "Cut him some slack! He was just sexually assaulted by a beautiful woman." Rosalie hissed in disagreement. "I mean...uh yeah..." Emmett quieted and fell back into his place, awkwardly looking at the ground, visibly afraid to meet the gaze of his blond-haired wife standing beside him.

"Very well." Carlisle turned and grabbed a small bottle from the small table near the bed. "We can handle this later. But you need to take your medicine now." He retrieved a small glass syringe from his box of supplies and jabbed it into the sealed bottle.

"Medicine?" Malakai flinched at the needle now filled with a transparent, liquid substance. _Oh shit._

"I thought morphine would be more appropriate that Tylenol for the injuries you have." Carlisle pressed the end of the syringe to force some of the morphine into a drop at the tip of the needle. Living through a werewolf attack was one thing, but to die because a doctor neglected to be sure he didn't directly inject oxygen into his veins, causing heart attack or stroke. "Here, It will help you sleep."

Malakai cringed, then the pain set in again. Realizing he had no better choices, he relaxed and allowed Carlisle to administer the drug.

* * *

_Just go away Jacob._ Leah ran full throttle. Her thoughts were obviously very agitated. _I don't need your help._

_Just wait. It's perfectly natural._ Jacob guessed he should correct himself. _Natural in _our _world._ He loped after her, skillfully avoiding the tree's that blurred his by him. Then finally gave up. She had gotten so much faster.

_There is nothing natural about you and me!_ Leah shot back. _So just piss the fuck off and let me deal with me._

_Imprinting isn't the worst thing in the world Leah._ Jacob walked slowly through the woods back to the Cullen's house. _If you give it a chance, you might actually like it._

_Shut up Jacob._

_No. You listen_. Jacob used his Alpha timbre more often these days. But, then again, he more readily accepted his role as leader of the pack. _Wasn't it you that said you wanted to imprint, or to be imprinted on because it would be easier having your options taken away from you?_

_Yes._ Leah only answered because the commanding alpha had asked her a question. Anything more could be considered treason.

_The day I imprinted on Renesmee was the best day of my life. _Jacob's emotional sentiments flowed through his mind, into Leah's. _Before I laid eyes on her. My heart still called for Bella, and Bella was a broken person. Seeing what I thought was Edward's fault destroying Bella from the inside, burned. And that she and Blondie wouldn't let Carlisle take the thing out killed me. But if I had helped them make Bella cooperate successfully, then I wouldn't have the love of my life today. Basically what I'm getting at is, everything happens for a reason. _Jacob laughed. _Give him a chance.  
_

_But Jacob, do you see how old he is?!_ Leah thought more calmly this time. _He looks like he fucking sixteen._

_And?_ He challenged.

_It just won't be right._

_Oh shit! Can it be? _Jacob's thoughts rung out in disbelief. _Ice queen Leah actually gives a shit about what the world thinks?_

_No. _It wasn't a complete anger management classes Leah had enrolled in last winter, worked sometimes. This was one of those sometimes, because she would totally shred Jacob's face off if he we're right here in front of her. Maybe that was another contributing factor.

_That's what it sounds like to me._ Jacob shrugged. _I don't think I have to remind you that you're not getting any older..._

Jacob entered the fringe of the forest, the buzz of gnats was much more annoying with super sensitive hearing. He would live. It was just another reason for him to move swiftly to the glass wall of the Cullen's home. Primary reason number one was so that he could see Renesmee that had come shortly after he left. He could smell her. _I won't make you come back. But I dont think you have much of a choice._

_Right. _Leah shuddered with acceptance of her situation. She imprinted on a weak little kid. Awesome.

_He's not that weak._ Jacob could still hear her thoughts. No matter how great a distance, he would always.

_He can't fight for shit. _Leah barked. _He got his ass beat by a couple of wolves._

_He does have heart. _Jacob did his best to defend Malakai. Sure he was only a kid. Jacob was only three years older than him at eighteen. _And he is kinda...You know. Human. The fact that he woke up looking to fight some more is pretty crazy. _Jacob laughed at the irony. _Maybe you imprinting isn't a coincidence. Crazy wolf chick. Crazy kid. Perfect match. You guys should do one of those "eHarmony" commercials._

_Shut it. _Leah said. She didn't really mean it, given the way the conversation, and her mood, had taken a turn for the better._ Tell Esme I'm sorry about her clothes, and I won't rip anymore of them if she has some I can borrow. I guess I'll hang out with my...imprintee?_

_Haha, imprintee. I like it. _Jacob phased back and collected the clothes he scattered behind the Cullen's house. Thinking about it, he realized that phasing into his nude human form in front of a glass wall wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do. The phased back after he heard Rosalie laughter. _Damnit._

_Idiot. I'm on my way back.  
_


	3. History

**Author's Notes: Hey guys. I'm going to do a first-person PoV as Malakai. Thanks for the reviews ~insert smiley face~ Depending on how this goes, I will continue from this Point of View.  
**

**Thanks again guys,  
Meech

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**

I could hear the murmuring of voices around me. They would rise in volume, then be shushed by one person, repeatedly. That morphine the doctor gave me...What was his name? Carlisle. Anyway, either he was giving me a little too much, or my tolerance to painkillers is just low. No matter the reason why; I was higher than a kite.

I opened my eyes. The same dull, gray, overcast light shone into the house. There was no need for the lamp on the ceiling to be on, the natural light was more than enough to make my eyes sore. Maybe a side-effect of the drugs. I cringed away from the light, wrapping my arms around my head. My eyes needed time to adjust.

"Well look who's up," I heard some deep voice say. I removed my arms; my eyes' protective barrier from the too-bright light, to look in the direction of the voice. I could only make out a silhouette before I was blinded again. "Wakey, wakey. Eggs and bakey."

"Fuck," I said under my breath, as I squinted.

"Quiet Emmett," I heard Carlisle's serene voice. The only one I was somewhat familiar with. "Give him a moment please."

"Yeah," An angelic voice rang out across the room. "It's not even breakfast. Don't get his hopes up."

When was the last time I ate? As I pondered the thought a growl escaped my stomach. I guess it's been a while. I folded myself into the fetal position around my stomach. The growling grew more intense.

"I'll go cook him something." The lady with the high cheekbones and short blond hair said. She rose quickly, gracefully. She looked like she was in her early twenties.

"I'll help." The teenage girl stood. Her waist-length brown hair bounced with the motion. Her topaz eyes darted to me as my stomach loosed another ravenous roar of hunger. She smiled at me. "It sounds like he can't wait much longer."

"Come on Bella," The older one said, and the two left the room.

Was that her daughter? Their eyes had the same golden tinge. Their skin was the same pale white that glowed even in the lackluster lighting. I took another glance around the room. Then it hit me. They all had the same distinguishing features: golden eyes, pale skin, all some of the best looking individuals I've ever seen in my life. Even the men. I'm not gay, but after I saw them, I did question myself for a split second. Maybe they are family. But then, where are the parents? Carlisle couldn't be their father. He looks too young to have teenage children. The only logical explanation would be that Carlisle and the older woman that just left would be the parents. But how?

I surveyed the room one more time, this time I glanced behind me. There she was. The cutie that burst through the front door, radiating anger, yesterday. The girl who thrust herself upon me, causing our lips to meet. She stole my first kiss, not that I mind. Her tawny skin, so perfect and flawless. Her dark brown eyes pierced through me. They cut past all of my defenses, and saw me for me. Her ample bosom filled her t shirt excellently. Her well developed hips made the jeans she wore look so much better than they probably actually were.

The corners of her mouth curved upward. She smiled warmly, her dimples deep enough to swim in. "Hi," she said. Her voice was not as melodic as the others'.

"Hewoah," Evidently, I didn't notice I had gone slack jawed when I visually indulged in her beauty. Even more embarrassingly, my tongue hung out of my mouth when I spoke. I bit it, and cursed myself in my thoughts. Smooth. Real smooth. The most beautiful woman in the world is sitting behind me and I can't even greet her. Awesome.

That muscular guy in the corner, next to the girl with the long blond hair chuckled.

"What?" She was still smiling, even though her brow ruffled in confusion. She blinked her long, feather-like eyelashes once and awaited my response.

"Hello," I managed to wring out of my smitten vocal chords. "I'm Malakai." I tried to make my introduction more of a group thing, but it was damn near impossible for me to take my eyes away from the beauty in front of me.

"Leah," She pressed a hand to her chest.

"I'm Emmett!" The guy with way too much muscle mass boomed from the corner. Way to ruin the moment. Thanks _Emmett._ Startled, I jumped to instinctively put myself into a defensive stance, but winced in pain as the I.V. needles in my arm made gashes in my skin.

"Stay still," Carlisle said and gently removed the needles one by one. He grabbed a brown bottle from the small table that was cleverly integrated with the bed frame. He twisted off the cap and poured the contents onto my arm.

I seriously should have seen this coming. The peroxide burned my fresh lacerations like an oven that had been pre-heated to three-hundred-fifty degrees. I whimpered a little, but no one heard it, I think. Well, no one scoffed, or made any other indication that they had. They continued with the introductions.

"I'm Jasper," The somewhat lanky one said. He had dark rings around his eyes. Maybe he should get to sleep earlier.

"Alice," The shortest of them all said. Her black hair was short and flipped up at the end. She was kind of cute too...

"Edward," He leaned on the wall, looking down the hall. His gaze hadn't left since the two ladies left the room. His hair was dark, then was golden at the end. He wore it in a spiked fashion.

"Renesmee," The little girl who sat next to Edward said. She looked a little too much like him to be his sister. She had the same brown ringlets as the other - _Bella_, and her face was a mixture of the two.

I looked to the person that would introduce their self next, according to the pattern the semi-circle had taken. She was absolutely stunning. Blonds aren't my thing, but I'd be willing to change that. Her eyes had the same golden tint. Her's, however, were cold. They frightened me a little, but I held my ground. Her face was fixated into a scowl that not even David Copperfield could make disappear.

"C'mon Rose." Emmett said, nudging her arm. "Don't be mean."

She huffed out some air through her tightly pursed lips, and waited. The five seconds after she took her deep breath, felt like an eternity. She eyed me menacingly for a moment. What did I do to her? Did I subconsciously spill the last of her, "extra length and volume" Pantine shampoo?

Edward stifled a chuckle. At what? I hadn't seen anything amusing.

"Rosalie," The blond said. Her musical voice was the polar opposite of what I had expected. I thought she would have some guttural tone, or a crackly voice like a witch the was she watched me, despite her demure attractive features.

"Don't mind Blondie," the guy on the opposite side of the room said. His russet skin was pulled taught over his enormous forearms. His pecs bulged under his too-tight dress shirt. "she's a total douche to everyone."

I tried to hold a laugh back, but I failed. My amusement showed itself, first in the way my eyes brightened, then in my lips when they pulled back. Finally resulting in my laugh filling the room. My throat was killing me, maybe I should hold off on the laughter.

"It's Jake by the way." The comedian said.

I nodded at him.

I heard the beeping of a microwave down the hallway. Good. My food was ready, and just in time too. I thought I would faint of starvation. Well, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing; if the maiden behind me would be the one to give me CPR. I would love to taste her face again.

The two ladies reentered the room. The one called Bella carried a blue bowl. She lowered her hand, and placed the bowl on the table that was built into the glorified stretcher. Inside the bowl were some instant noodles. It smelled like chicken flavor. I vacantly stared through the steam radiating from the broth, then back at Bella. "Thank you,"

"We were going to make you something better," she walked over to Edward and sat beside him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "but seeing as your stomach growled like an angry Doberman, we figured you would rather get something in you right now."

"Thank you," I bowed me head to Bella. Then to the nameless woman at Carlisle's side.

"No problem Hun." She said. "I'm Esme, and you are?"

"Malakai." I answered her, then grabbed the bowl and pulled it toward me.

"We've already met earlier." Carlisle rolled the stool he was sitting on, closer to me. "Now, do you think you can tell me everything that happened to you, and why those wolves attacked you?"

Shit. I hadn't thought that far ahead. All of these beautiful distractions around me may have had something to do with my idiotic lack of planning. If I told him everything, I'd be out of here on the first thing smoking, to an asylum somewhere in this dreary, rainy town. Lost for the rest of my pitiful existence.

"Try him. He'll believe you." Edward said. "If you're completely honest with Carlisle, then I'm sure he'll return the favor."

How did he know what I was...Thinking? I looked at Carlisle. Disbelief and worry fought for dominance over my eyes.

"Try me." He smiled. His perfect white teeth glistened.

"Alright. It's a long story." I warned. No one moved. It was completely silent. I began my suck ass life story. "Well, my mom was Inca, and my dad was an American archeologist. My dad was on an expedition when he was captured by my mom's tribe. They thought he was there to steal their crops or something dumb like that." I laughed. "My mom was fell in love with him, they eloped in America and had a son. Bladi blah blah"

"Was?" Leah asked from behind me.

"Yeah. They're both dead." I kept my voice as even as I could. The pain of my loss still stung me at times. "Those wolves hunted us, my mom, dad, and I, that is. I heard my parents talking about something decimating my mom's old tribe." My mind wandered back to happy memories. I forced it to stay there. It made telling the story easier. "Me and mom were supposedly the last remaining people linked to her tribe by blood."

I looked around the room. Everyone listened to me. Solemnly studying me. "A couple months later, they came on a full moon. My mom did something far beyond what I thought was possible. She turned into a giant leopard."

"Wait, what?" Jacob easily jumped over the couch and walked toward me, stopping a few feet away. "A leopard?"

"Yeah."

"But how?" Jacob rolled his eyes upward. It looked like her was thinking about something. "I thought only the Quileute..."

"Hmm?" What did he mean? Only the Quileute could what?

"Nothing, go ahead with your story." He walked back to his spot in the room; leaning on the glass wall.

"Well, there were a ton of those wolf things. They were gigantic. Mom fought them all. She managed to get two of them. Dad shot a few of them with his antique musket he had on display in the living room. I was the only one, defenseless. Rather than do something to help. I stood frozen, watching, afraid, like a coward." I could feel my eyes getting hot. No crying, not here. "Then two broke off from the onslaught to take the weak link out first. Me. Mom saw them and turned her back on the ones she was fighting, to rescue me." Hot tears welled up in my eyes. Everyone in the room could no doubt see my eyes getting glossy with the salty water of sadness. I held back the tears.

"She gave the two a quick end. More than they deserved," I spat, my voice seethed with hatred. "But the others blindsided her, one wrapped their mouth around her neck. Shock washed through her face. She looked me in the eyes, telling me something. I still have no clue as to what it was. Her stare locked with mine as the bastard fixed his mouth into a wicked smile. The razor sharp teeth were a blur as the lycan pulled backward..." My eyes welled. I couldn't hold them back anymore. The dam broke. I could feel the tears roll freely down my cheeks. My happy thoughts and feigned nonchalance weren't enough this time. However, I had to finish. I held my breath, preparing for the worst part of the story, for me. "...Launching her head into the air. Even though it wasn't the face I grew up seeing, furry, long, strong; It was my mommy." I cleared my throat as I continued into the next arc of my epic. "I just watched...Her eyes once so full of fighting fire. Extinguished, just like that."

" 'Run Malakai,' were the last words my dad said to me before the lycans got him." I looked out the window and wiped my eyes. I intentionally avoided all eye contact in the room. I couldn't believe I was telling them tales of my weakness. "So I did. I ran all the all the way here, not all at once, but, I never stopped moving. But they caught me anyway. If you guys hadn't saved me. I..." I trailed off.

Jacob shuffled around on his side of the room, searching for something. He was visibly lost in thought. My story isn't one-hundred percent believable. Must be a lot to digest.

"That's it." I finished. Leah handed me a tissue. "Thank you." I bowed my head slowly, in gratitude.

I felt so shameful. Not only did I cry in front of total strangers. I told them the story of my cowardice and how my only family died, because I was too weak to protect myself. So weak. I've changed though. I want vengeance. I'll carry my hammer of retribution to the ends of the earth to avenge my parents. I can't transform into a giant fucking animal, but dad always told me, "if you fight on the side of right, then you cannot lose." Hopefully that applies to the super natural.

"As for your other family?" Carlisle fixed his eyes upon me. Sympathy flashed across his face.

"None," I answered. That was more difficult to say than it should have been. Why am I being so emotional now of all times?

"What do you plan to do?" Esme's beautiful musical voice chimed. It should have been impossible for an emotion such as sadness to be able to taint the joyous sound of her voice.

"I don't know." The snow outside was so alluring. Maybe I could bury my heart in it, to do what I need to. "I need to become stronger, so that nothing like this will never happen to my family," I lied. My soul thirsted for revenge. It was a craving I sought to soothe. "When I get one anyway."

"Esme, Edward," Carlisle stood as he addressed the two. "May I see you two in my office please?" Sure it was a question, but from what I'd seen, anything Carlisle asked for, Carlisle got. Everyone here respected him that much; myself included.

"Sure," Edward followed Carlisle out of the room. Esme was on their heels.

The rest of the room was silent. My eyes wandered around. Everyone was where they were five minutes ago. It didn't look like they had moved an inch. Alice's small body was completely frozen. I watched her, not one hair in that spiky little hair do of her's hadn't moved one millimeter. Her golden eyes glanced at me. Feeling weird after staring at her for the entirety of five minutes, I quickly glanced away.

Next to me was Leah. Truthfully, I'm still totally confused. She's mad, then seductive...Yeah seductive is a nice word, then sympathetic. She returned my gaze. I don't know, just, somehow, the way she looked at me made me feel special. I've never seen anything like it. Being the outcast at my old school, no one ever gave me the light of day. Work. Study. Work, study, that's all I ever did. I guess I thought keeping myself so busy would cause me to forget about my sorrowful love life.

She's gorgeous. She pulled back a strand of escaping brown, wavy, hair and tucked it back into place behind her ear. Leah smiled a crooked smile, cocking her head to the side. I couldn't help but smile. It's like she could control me. Shit, maybe it's that thing I have for older women. She did look about twenty after all. That's only five years.

I let my my wander to a scenario that would never happen. Err, possible? Sure. Probable? Not very. Leah and I as boyfriend and girlfriend. I had to pull the reins of that horse. Inevitably, my hormones twisted that fantasy into the making of the little Malakai's and not the little Malakai's themselves. I wouldn't let my mind defile my Leah like that. My Leah? I laughed. Wow, she doesn't even like me. Does she? Why is it that she's so close to me? And why is it that she looks at me with eyes full of so much longing?

I heard footsteps returning to us. Their shoes clopped on the stairs as they rounded the corner. Carlisle led. Edward and Esme were right behind him. There was a different air that they brought with them into the room. It was calming. Confident.

"Malakai," Carlisle's voice was stern. That was the first time I'd heard him like that. "Edward, Esme and I talked it over." He put his hands behind his back, interlocking his pale white fingers. "Considering your current circumstances. Esme and I would like to adopt you. If that is what you would like."

"Seriously?" That threw me for a loop. After they heard how I basically betrayed my family, they offer me a new one? I hardly know any of them. But I really don't have anywhere else to go. Just based on that, this should be an easy decision. It was. "Sure." I said, my voice monotone.

"Well, it's settled." Carlisle walked toward me. "We'll go out and get you some papers tomorrow. Jasper, can you handle that for me?"

"Yeah," He answered from upstairs.

"Welcome to the family son." Carlisle patted my shoulder, then let his hand remain there for a moment. "There is just one minor technicality."

"What?" I asked, struggling to hide the excitement in my voice.

"We're vampires."

"Alright." I said. After the tormenting month and a half I had. People that turn into wolves. My mom turned into a giant house cat. It would take a lot more than that to scare me off. This was just par for the course. Although I was worried. Vampires do drink blood.

"We live on animal blood. You're perfectly safe here." Edward smiled. The rest of the room laughed.

"Unless you let Alice play dress up with you. You are about her size." Bella said, obviously speaking from experience.

"Oh goodie, a new doll!" Alice danced around the room. "Ever since Bella became a vampire, she can fight me off now. So that's no fun."

"Um..." I was worried for an entirely new reason. Frilly dresses aren't really my style. I doubt I would be able to fight off her supernatural strength. "Yeah...About that..." My blood pressure increased with each second.

"Speaking of clothes. You can't fit anything in the house _aside _from Alice's clothes." Carlisle said matter of factly. "Alice, can Malakai borrow something somewhat masculine so you can take him shopping for clothes of his own?"

A devilish grin stretched across her lips. "Yes." Her glare froze me.

"I guess this meeting is over." Emmett's voice boomed. He rose and strode toward the door.

Recovering from Alice's murderous intents for my shreds of masculinity left. I managed to eat some of the ramen Bella and Esme made for me.

"Welcome to the family bro." Emmett slapped me on the back. Damn he was strong. He caused me to spew my half-devoured mouthful of noodles into Leah's face. I cringed when I saw that. I turned around and Emmett was gone. "Catch you later." He called out from outside of the house. He left just in time.

I peered over my shoulder into Leah's broth-covered face. "Sorry?" She waved me off and got up to leave.

"I'll be back later." She muttered. Her voice was cold.

"C'mon Malakai!" Alice bounced over and grabbed my hand. She lifted me off of the bed and carried me upstairs. The movement was so quick my head began to whirl. "We've got work to do." Before I knew it we were in her oversized closet. She closed the door behind her.

"I can walk you know." I squirmed in her arms. She didn't even budge.

"Then you can run away." Her brow ruffled in thought. "Okay, I'll let you down, but don't try to run." She laughed again. The high pitched sound could've shattered glass. "In here," Her voice dropped a few decibals, into a whisper. "no one can hear you scream."


	4. No Just No

**A/N: This one is a little long. Sorry. I had to get some preparation in this chapter. You know, fill in some blanks. Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming. They make the whisper people go away. *twitches violently.

* * *

**

"No," I repeated. I'd argued with Alice for about thirty minutes now. Eventually, she was fed up with talking and held my arms in place while she forced a white, knit cardigan over my head. "Please?"

"Nope," She bounced around aisles upon aisles of clothes, leaving me to fend for myself in this over-sized mini-mall of a closet. "Where did I put those?" I heard her ask herself. Then I saw her flit from one rack to another. "Ah, here they are!"

I blinked and there she was, in front of me. It was insane how quickly she could move. If I could close distance that fast, I'd probably crash into something. Hard. Those damn werewolves would catch me. That's for sure.

I guess the jeans Alice had in her hands were what she was looking for. They were blue, and had white fur in the stitching, to match the sweater I was wearing. They looked nice and I totally would voluntarily wear them if I were a girl. Which I'm not! However, I doubt I have much of a choice.

Alice held the pants in front of my waist, as if making sure I could fit them. It looked like a perfect fit to me, no matter how adverse I was to..._crossdressing._ After three seconds Alice nodded approval and nudged me to take off the sweater.

I did as I was told. I mean, I thought about the circumstances. Me. Alone. With a vampire. In her closet. With the door locked. I mean, I would like to see my mother again, but I don't want Alice to expedite the process. I haven't had my revenge yet.

"Okay," Alice grabbed my hand and led me out of the closet, into her room, then into the bathroom that she had carried me past on the way upstairs. "Now that we know what you're wearing, you can shower in here, and then we'll go get you some man clothes."

"Um, Thanks," I didn't know what to say honestly. I was about to be forced into some woman's clothing. For some reason, that didn't sit well with me. "for the hospitality and all, but why can't I wear my other clothes out to the mall?"

"Ick," Alice's petite, little face frowned. "Those things are disgusting,"

"True, but at least I'm not insecure about my manhood in them." I shot back.

"I threw them into the incinerator anyway." She jabbed a finger downstairs, through the open bathroom door. "Besides, Carlisle said I was in charge of getting you dressed, so stop complaining."

"Carlisle didn't say tha..." I couldn't finish my sentence. Alice's finger was at my mouth, forcing my lips closed. She smelled like fresh chamomile. Sweet. I almost fell back to sleep from the scent alone.

"Ah, ah, ah," Alice moved her finger, allowing my face some fresh air. "Now, do you wanna get in the shower yourself, or do I have to undress you and put you into the tub myself?"

"I can handle it myself." I mumbled.

"Great!" Alice's demeanor had changed back to what it was when I first met her. She bounced around the bathroom like a child that's been fed too much candy. "Towels are in the cabinet," She tapped the rosewood cabinet above the toilet. "after you're done, come back to my room and we'll get you dressed and do your make up."

"Make up?" I argued. From my experience with Alice. All six hours of it, I knew that this was an argument I would not win. Still, I had to try.

"Yes, make up." She walked over to the tub and turned on the water. "This should be warm enough for you. I usually take cold showers so if this is too cool, just twist this knob over here," She reached further into the tub, and grabbed the knob furthest away from my side. "to the right."

"Cold showers?" I repeated. My mind formed all kinds of perverse jokes. "Like vampires would have to." I laughed.

"Mind out of the gutter please." Alice turned, and exited the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

I stripped off the robe Alice had given me to borrow. The steam from the shower licked my face. It felt good to have another hot shower. Since the whole my-family-died thing, all of my baths involved some stagnant, cold water from some nameless lake. I put my hand onto the tub to let the water trickle down onto my palm, to test the temperature. It was perfect. Alice, however controlling, was a nice person, and had it not been so obvious that she and Jasper were in a relationship, I'd be tempted.

I stepped into the shower and let the hot water run down my back. Every drop cleansed some wound I'd forgotten I had. I rubbed the bar of soap Alice had left me on my washcloth, causing bubbles to form. I caressed my body with the lavender smelling soap. After that, I stayed still, bracing my arms on the blue tile of the shower wall, and letting the water run through my hair. It felt so good.

"Now how can I get myself out of this?" I whispered to myself.

"You can't!" Alice shouted from the other room.

I didn't answer. How could she hear me? Regardless of how she did it, I guess I have no chance of not being dressed up like some over-sized Ken doll. Why? I gently banged my head on the wall, silently thinking of excuses. None. Just my luck, I'm one of the wittiest people I know, and I can't come up with one simple excuse.

I twisted the knob left, for the water to stop. Drops of water fell from my black hair. I carefully exited the tub. There was nothing for me to grab onto, so I gripped the shower door for dear life, until both my feet were on the bathroom rug, nice and safe. I opened the rosewood cabinet above the toilet and extracted a face towel for my hair, and a larger one for my body. When I was able to completely conceal all of my "goods," Alice burst through the bathroom door.

"Hey!" I squealed, instinctively moving my hands to hide my already enshrouded crotch. "I could've been in the buff." I placed my hands at my sides after I felt the soft, Egyptian cotton towel in place. "Or maybe you just couldn't control yourself and wanted to catch a glimpse of my bod." I laughed.

"I doubt you would be up to snuff for a baby panda." Alice said. Ouch. She grabbed my hand to drag me back into her room. "Let alone a beautiful young lady like me."

"Aren't you like a gazillion years old?" I asked. By the way Alice's face twisted, I could tell I was in for it.

"Only one-hundred and eight years young." She emphasized the young. "I'll let you slide on that one. Well, I won't hurt you for it. You're going to look a hell of a lot prettier now." That same wicked smile flashed across her beautiful features. She skipped over to the white wooden dresser she had placed the folded clothes she wanted me to wear, fetched them, then set them down on the bed next to me. "Put these on." Alice said sweetly, and I almost didn't argue.

"No."

"Why do you have to be so difficult?" I guess she didn't know exactly who I am. She balanced her hands on her hips and locked her butterscotch eyes with mine. "You know I'll do it myself."

"Okay, I'll do it if you answer a question for me." I bartered. Maybe I could get out of this after all.

Alice nodded. "Shoot."

"If you and Jasper are in a relationship, then why is it that he's not upset you're in your room with a younger man, wearing nothing but two towels?" I asked.

"Because one, he trusts me." Alice continued her list. "And two, if anything did happen, he'd hear you screaming." Another grin flashed across her face. This one however, was more mischievous. "Sorry, but I'd break you kid."

I coughed uncomfortably and prepared to hold up my end of the bargain. I gathered the clothes and carried them to the stand alone curtain on the other side of the room.

"You asked." Alice reminded me.

"I know." I stood behind the curtain, relative to where Alice was. I put on the underwear that smelled of freshly opened packaging with a sigh. At least these were normal. I unwrapped the sweater and my mouth was agape at what I found. "I'm not wearing a bra. No."

"Do it or I'll do it myself. How many times to I have to tell you?" Slight irritation colored her voice. Evidently, Bella hadn't given her this much protest when she was human. "No one likes a girl with no upstairs."

I put it on, only out of fear that Alice would indeed break me, and not in the enjoyable way. The B cups were loose around my chest. I hurriedly grabbed the form-fitting tee shirt so that I wouldn't pain myself by looking at the white bra that I was wearing. I pulled on the tee shirt, jeans, and finally the white wool sweater. I stepped back around the curtain to show Alice I was indeed a man of my word, and shamefully wore what she had told me to. She smiled, her white teeth gleamed, and the absence of large fangs was a minuscule surprise.

She clapped her hands excitedly. "Sit here," Alice patted a chair in front of the white dresser dresser. Somehow, while I was putting on my feminine costume, she had the time to adorn the tabletop dresser with a mirror.

I sat in the chair. I glanced behind me and Alice had abruptly disappeared. Her absence couldn't have been for anything more than five seconds, but when she returned, she held the same box of tissue that had been on the table downstairs. She pulled the shirt away from my torso, stuffing tissue into the cups of the white bra.

"Oh god, please." I begged. I knew I was wasting my breath, but it just felt right to mount some sort of defense.

"What can I do to get you to be quiet?" Alice asked. There was no sarcasm in her voice, or none that I could detect, so I took her seriously.

"Kiss me." Hell, it was worth a shot.

Alice's high pitched, musical laugh reverberated through the room. "Who do I look like, Leah?"

My face grew red at just the mentioning of her name. Then I remembered that I had inadvertently spewed some warm ramen into her face earlier. Exasperatedly, I sighed again. "Do you thinks she's still mad at me for pre-chewing that food for her?"

"If you mean the broth bath you gave her earlier. No." I squirmed, Alice simply holding me closer to the chair to keep me from jostling, and making the boob job take longer than necessary. "I doubt she could stay mad at you for long anyway."

"What?" What did Alice mean. If some teenager spat noodles into my angelic face, I'd be pretty pissed. I think anyone would be. "Why not?" I asked the obvious question.

"Oops," Alice pressed one finger to her own lips, to silence herself. "I've said too much. How about you ask her when she comes with us on the shopping trip later on tonight?" Alice sat her chin on the top of my scalp. "Now please, stop moving."

"I'll stop." I surrendered. "But, I don't have any cash for clothes."

"Chin up buttercup." Alice was cheerful again. Finally, she let go of the shirt and stepped around to get a look at me from the front. Probably to be sure my new breast implants were somewhat symmetrical. "We have money, and what's ours is yours. You're a part of the family little brother." Alice's smile beamed. It was bright enough to make up for the lack of sun in this town of snowdrifts. "Or should I say little sister?"

"It burns," I laughed. Maybe I could get used to this. Not the dressing up as a chick thing, that definitely has to go. This being older siblings. I'd always had to be the loner, the outcast, the responsible one. Not with my other family, but away from them. Maybe I'd done it to myself, I don't know. I'm not saying I'm going to go out and make some stupid decisions. Just that, I can have some one to look up to, as a role model, I guess. Alice absolutely is my favorite one right now. She's funny. Even though I do see her are my older sister, the perverse jokes are probably going to continue until I run out of them.

"Now for your hair." Alice plugged a black cord into the outlet by the dresser. I felt heat on my neck. "Just some simple curls. I'll only do them lengthwise. Okay?" Did she just ask for my opinion?

"Sure." I don't believe I'm agreeing with her. Curse her persuasive powers.

Alice quickly ran the curling iron through my hair. She was a pro. It had only been five minutes after she started, and the person in the mirror looking back at me had beautiful bouncing curls. "Time for make up."

She opened a sealed make up kit filled to the brim with brushes, eye shadow, mascara, nail polish colors, eye and lip liner, lip gloss and lip balm. Her hands found a smaller, dense brush, and what looked to be black eye shadow. I sighed.

"Close your eyes." Alice ordered.

She dabbed the brush into the small container and was directing it toward my eyes when I shut them. She gently brushed my eyelids. It actually felt good. The bristles of the brush tickled. First the right eye. I felt her stop, then go, then stop again. It was like she was some sort of professional painter, trying to make sure her coats were even. I guessed she finished with my right eye when she started on my left, redoing the entire process.

"There. You can open them now." Alice said. "I don't think you need any blush or mascara. You're cheeks have a nice natural color and your lashes are long enough." She complimented me. Wow, I never thought I'd be getting any complements from a vampire. I never thought I would see a vampire, or even be in the same room with one. Alive anyway. "Take a look,"

I was shocked at the person that looked back at me. My rough features were strangely demure. I was pretty. Everything just worked the way Alice had it set up. My hair bounced when it moved. I held one eye closed and observed the eye shadow she had applied. If I were'nt me right now, I'd probably try to get with my reflection on more than a friendly level. Ugh, who am I kidding? I'd be too chicken shit to even say hi, I bet. Needless to say, however lovely I looked, this will not ever happen again. I hope anyway.

"Nice." I huffed. I wasn't tired, or exhausted. Maybe tired of bickering with Alice, but that passed. Or I would probably get used to it.

"Okay, now let's go." Alice grabbed my hand and dragged me downstairs.

I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to let the public see me like this. I held firmly onto the door frame as we passed it. One by one, my fingers all developed lactic acid and released automatically. Think fast Malakai. Think.

"Did I ever tell you how pretty you are?" I asked. I reasoned flattery might work. Sure it was cheap, but I was desperate. Desperate times call for desperate measures, as they say.

"No, but thanks." Alice stopped towing me along for a moment. She turned to look me in the face. Maybe flattery was the key. I should've tried that from square one. Then I would've saved some time. "Nice try, but I didn't sped all this time on you just for you to enjoy it." Alice returned to her hurried pace. She dragged me the remainder of the way down the stairs and into the family room. The hushed conversation that was taking place ceased when Alice and I entered the room.

"Presenting your new little sister," Alice teased. My cheeks grew red quickly. Maybe I should have had her use some blush, then my emotions wouldn't be as readable. Damn it, what was I thinking? "Malakette?" She looked to me for confirmation. She didn't get any.

"Helloooooo nurse," Emmett jeered from his seat next to his ice queen Rosalie. She nudged him.

There were mixed reactions around the room. Jacob chuckled on the couch and Renesmee nodded coyly, as if to say "Good job Alice,". Edward tried to be polite. When he laughed, he did it in the palm of his hand. He played it off as a cough. Bella did the same as Edward, but she was more blatant about it. Jasper shook his head. Obviously, he had seen this type of thing before, or just figured that this was Alice for you. Thank God Carlisle and Esme weren't here, I wouldn't be able to look either of them in the eye.

"Well," Alice twirled me around for a three-sixty view. "Let's roll."

Alice pulled me slower this time. Her fast moving legs relaxed into a casual saunter. She led me through the kitchen, into another hallway, and stopped at a door. We were alone, for a second anyway. Then I blinked and Bella had joined us. I would have been completely unaware to her approach had it not been for her tailwind catching up with her and brushing against my neck. Alice opened the door, the garage door I guess. Behind it was the stuff that dreams are made of.

There were so many sports cars. I wanted to cry. A red Audi convertible was furthest down the row, and that was just the beginning. A dark green Aston Martin V12 Vanquish was there. I almost wet myself. I don't even think they make those anymore. A yellow Porsche 911 Turbo was parked beside it. The third car was a silver Mercedes S55 AMG. The dark tinted windows on that car always made me smile. The lines were sharp and smooth at the same time. It was a true automotive masterpiece. A yellow Hummer H2 was beside it. I don't really care much for trucks, but assuming Bella, Alice, Leah, and I were going shopping that would be the one we would be riding in.

Shit. Leah. She's going to think I'm a total queer dressed like this. If Alice still didn't have me in her icy grasp, I would have paced back and forth.

"Emmett!" Bella yelled into back into the house. "Alice and I are going to borrow your car."

"Okay! Tell the kid not to queef on my seats, I just had them cleaned." He shouted, the echo of laughter followed.

"Don't mind him. That's just how he is." Bella informed me.

Alice let go of me. She walked over to the yellow Hummer, opened the door, and hopped into the driver's seat. Bella walked around to the front passenger-side door and did the same. I guess I'm in the back. I opened the door and climbed into the back seat of the humongous truck. Alice turned the keys and it roared to life. Alice gave it a little gas and we were out of the garage, idling in their ample driveway. Leah was at the skirts of the dirt road tapping her foot. She glanced over her shoulders and jogged to the car. She opened the door opposite to my side, and sat in the back seat with me. Woot!

"Are we ready ladies?" Alice purposely omitted the 'and gentleman' part of that sentence.

"Yes." Bella groaned. "Why did I have to come anyway?"

"Because I think we haven't been out in a while. Us Cullen girls." Alice replied. She revved the engine and we were on the road.

"Why isn't Rose coming?" Bella sat her head on the back of her seat, closing her eyes.

Alice chuckled and the same mischievous grin settled onto her face. "She and Emmett had planned to do some building inspection later." She and Bella Laughed. I guess that was an inside joke.

"I'm not a Cullen," Leah muttered. I wondered what was wrong with her. I'm not going to ask either. So far, she's managed not to notice my strange wardrobe.

"Not yet, but I have a hunch you will be soon." Alice continued her laughter.

Leah grimaced. She glanced at me. Her eyes lingered for a few moments longer than necessary. I guess she's noticed. I wanted to slap myself for letting Alice dress me up like this. But, what other option did I have?

"Where are we headed anyway?" I asked.

"Port Angeles." Bella unfolded a map that was in the glovebox, and handed it to me. She pointed to a location about fifty-five miles away from us right now.

"Thanks." I smiled at Bella, and she returned the favor. At least she wasn't treating me differently. Maybe it's because she's had some experience being dressed up by Alice.

Alice drove a little too fast for these slick, icy winter roads. When she turned onto the interstate the truck slid and I almost squealed. I did jump and throw my head into Leah's lap in a pitiful attempt to protect myself the ostrich way. I thought she would have been angry, but that wasn't the case. She didn't really move or push me away. She merely sat a hand on my head, and played with my hair. I had myself a lap pillow and I wasn't about to ask screw it up. I layed there like that for about thirty minutes.

The way Alice sped down the highway, we were rounding the last few turns according to the on board navigation system. I turned my head slightly, and glanced up at Leah with one eye. I brushed myself off, and sat upright. There had been a question I had been wanting to ask since Carlisle told me the entirety of my surrogate family was composed of vampires.

"Leah," I whispered. I didn't want to sound like an idiot, so I figured I would ask someone I was sure I could trust. She turned her head in acknowledgment. "Can I ask you a question?"

She smiled and nodded, giving me the green light.

"What's it like being a vampire?" I kept my tone low enough that only she could hear.

That's what I thought anyway. Alice's trill laugh bellowed throughout the car over the feminine voice giving us the last of the directions.

"I'm not a vampire." Leah answered calmly. She sounded irritated though.

"I'll explain Malakai." Bella peered over her seat at me. "Everyone in the family is a vampire except for Jacob. Jacob is a shapeshifter and leader of his pack. Leah here is second in command."

"Shapeshifter?" I questioned and scratched my head in thought. "This is getting heavier and heavier. You guys said 'vampire,' I said 'Cool'." I stared back and forth between Leah and Bella.

"It's a lot to take in, I know." Bella reached over and patted my shoulder. "She and her brother Seth are in Jake's pack. That's about it. No biggie."

"Yeah, and they do this thing called impri..." Alice picked up where Bella had left off. Bella shushed her. "Okay, I'll let Leah handle that part."

I looked at Leah. She could tell I was expecting answers. "Later," She told me.

After what was hopefully the last bombshell of my tumultuous life, we arrived in the parking lot of the mall. I want my answers. Hopefully, Leah's later, meant sometime today. Everyone exited the car.

"So let'd do it this way." Alice said. "You and Leah go shopping, and Bella and I will find some clothes for you too. Nothing girly, I promise." She handed me two-thousand dollars in hundreds. "We'll get you an American Express soon as you're on the books as a Cullen."

"So, we meet here at eight, then we grab dinner?" Alice nudged Bella. "I'm going to give Malakai my phone, and we can pick him up one while we're here. Keep yours on in case someone tries to call us."

"Alright." Bella reached a hand into her pocket and turned on her phone. I could hear the chiming of the welcome tone. "See ya." She and Alice headed into the mall.

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**A/N #2: Yeah, I couldn't get much going between Leah and Malakai this chapter. The next one will be cute and hilarious. I promise. ~insert big smiley here~ **

**Thanks again,**

**Meech  
**


	5. Imprint

**A/N: This chapter was a little difficult for me to write, seeing as romance scenes have always been a problem for me. That and the fact that I left my first draft in a golf cart at Torrey Pines, so that's long gone. All in all, I had to write this chapter three times because I wasn't satisfied with my finished result. **

**Also. Thank you for the reviews. It makes me happy every time I log into my gmail and see that I have more reviews for my story. Keep them coming I seriously appreciate them.**

**One more thing. I think I might go a dabble into songfic next chapter. To change it up a little.  
**

**Have a great day and happy reading.**

**Meech**

* * *

When we entered the mall, Bella and Alice trotted off to some high-priced boutique. The woman just happened to have two-thousand dollars pocket change to give me. Obviously, the house and exquisite collection of cars they owned practically screamed old money. I didn't plan on spending the whole two-thousand.

Being the son of a head archeologist meant I was pretty spoiled already, and had almost everything I could set my eyes on. I didn't even appreciate it. Now its all gone. I don't plan on putting myself in a position to lose it all again. I don't think I can withstand another blow like that.

I doubt I'll get any shopping done though. I looked to my left, to make sure my angel was still beside me. There she stood. Leah didn't wear winter attire, Only some black jeans, and a thin white hooded sweatshirt.

We sauntered around the mall in silence, perusing the names illuminated in white neon lighting above the entrances of stores. As we neared the food court Leah broke the silence.

"Where do we start?" She asked, her eyes darted to a few of the more moderately fashionable stores.

"Doesn't matter to me," I told her. "Preferably somewhere that sells clothes that are the like, polar opposite of what I'm wearing."

"Follow me," Leah led me into a nice decent looking store.

The mannequins sported various winter fashions in the front window. Despite the nearing of Christmas, this store was actually pretty vacant. The racks in the middle of the store had some sweaters, tee shirts, jeans and small accessories. Leah and I made our way to the Men's section. Technically, I was still small enough to fit into the larger boy sizes, but the men's department seemed like a better choice.

Leah took grabbed two dress shirts off of a nearby rack. They were both loudly colored, one a sky blue plaid pattern, and the other was a solid bright red. "I think these would look nice on you."

I don't care much for drawing unnecessary attention to myself. Brightly colored clothes did contribute to that cause. "Really?" Hell, if Leah would like it, then shit, I'd wear it. That's right, I'm smitten. Sue me.

Leah wandered away from me to find a sales representative. When she did, she had him open one of the dressing room doors, and keep that room reserved for me. I've been in stores where that was a common business practice. However, stores like that also had higher prices attached to the sleeves of the shirts; not a measly thirty bucks for a shirt. Judging from the look in that sales rep's eye, I think he bypassed store protocol because the woman asking him to do so was so dazzling, even in the simplest of attire.

Leah hung the two shirts on the hook that was on the back of the dressing room door, then made her way back to me. "That's your room over there." She pointed to the room she had just left. "Pick some we'll both pick some crap out and put it on that hook."

"Alright." I said and found some black jeans on the rack next to me. "These for sure." I picked them up and carried them to the dressing room Leah had pointed out. I placed them on the hook, and decided I would follow Leah around the store.

When I caught up with her, Leah was circling a clothing display of some shirts that had funny phrases on the front. "Practice safe sex and go fuck yourself," "I taught your girlfriend that thing you like," and a picture of a married couple that said "Game Over," under it, were a few of the most noticeable ones. Shirts like that are always amusing.

When I was about to announce my being finished searching through this store, a hand lightly touched my shoulder. I turned around to see exactly who had the audacity to touch me, and expect to leave with all their limbs in working order. My curls bounced and settled in my face with the movement.

It was a boy. He looked about twenty and a little too curious for my liking. His hand was still on my shoulder. He spoke. His voice was a little too cocky.

"Hey," He left his hand on my shoulder even though I tried to shrug it off a few times. "You and your friend should come back to my house for some horizontal recreation."

Seriously Alice? Dressed up like a pretty lady and being hit on by some muscle head guy. I'll be sure to thank her later.

This guy did need a lesson in manners. I happen to have my Ph.D in handling blocks like this guy. In this situation, Ph.D stands for: Punch, Hemorrhage, Destroy. I would have let it slide if he hadn't brought Leah into it. It would have been all good if he left it at "you."

"I'll pass." I answered. I did my best to make my voice deeper than it actually was, but my voice still retained its girlie edge. Damnit.

"It wasn't a question." He told me and his hand gripped my shoulder tightly now. The veins in his forearms tensed with the increased blood flow from his exertion of force.

I really don't want to have to kill this man. It would be inconvenient. "Mind if I ask your name?" I batted my eyelashes to get some information out of this man.

"Rich," He said.

"Rich," I repeated. Either that was short for Richard, or his parents named him after their aspirations. It didn't matter to me either way. "Check this." I started. "I have no intention of going home with you. You need to up your people skills if you plan on being what your name is. Three, don't ever talk to women like this. Okay Dick?"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Rich was fast for a big guy. He managed to get both my wrists together and hold them with one hand, leaving the other free.

I looked him in the eye. His hazel iris' smoldered with fury. I liked that. No matter how unpredictable people claim that fury is, I find it very easy to manipulate. You can bait people into making mistakes that they would never make had they been thinking with a clear head. Now I had Rich right where I wanted him.

Women control the world. Believe it or not. A voiced plea for help would have every cop in a five mile radius running to protect the damsel. Seeing as how I didn't want to get my hands dirty today, that is exactly what I did.

I shrieked, everyone in the store had turned around, including Leah, who had been aware of what was happening but decided I could take care of myself. The two security guards in the back of the store jogged up to the front door. Rich saw them.

"Bitch," His muttered and unhanded me, running out of the store into the stream of late Christmas shoppers.

The burlier of the two man security team rushed after Rich, into the mall. The other stopped in front of me. He held out his hands, trying to make me feel comfortable, I think.

"Excuse me miss, are you alright?" I was getting annoyed with people calling me 'miss,' and mistaking me for a girl. Evidently, Alice knows the ins and outs of beautifying men. The security guard mistook me for a woman too.

"Yeah," I rolled my shoulders to release some of the tension that Rich had caused. They cracked every time I changed direction.

"I'm sorry about that guy." The guard apologized. He took off his gray hat and held it to his chest while he did a formal bow. They type that cowboys did to ladies in old western movies. "I didn't notice him harassing you."

"No problem," I said. I did feel kind of bad about being pissed with him three seconds earlier. The feeling passed though. "I should be leaving anyway." I nodded at him and turned to get the clothes from the dressing room to pay for them. I carried them with both arms cupped and dropped them on the check out counter.

Leah saw me in the corner of her eye and moved to meet me, carrying four more items of clothing. She draped them over the register as well.

"Will this be all ma'am?" The cashier asked. He swiftly scanned the bar codes on the price tags of the items. Then placed each of them into a few paper bags, bearing the store logo and name.

If one more person calls me "ma'am," or "miss," or "lady," I'm going to go out and kill someone. My eyebrows twitched with the annoyance that I harbored deep inside me.

"Yes," I answered, struggling to keep my voice even.

The pudgy cashier pushed his glasses closer to his nose and read, "That will be four-hundred and thirty dollars." He looked up from his little computer monitor. "Cash or credit?"

"Cash," I said, and pulled my wallet from my too-tight back pocket. I took out Alice's money and separated five-hundred dollar's, leaving fifteen-hundred there. I'll give the rest of it back to her later.

I gave the cashier the crisp bills. He did the standard procedure check for all bills over twenty; checked the watermark, the paper, and drew a line on it with a marker that is supposed to detect counterfeits. They all checked out. He bagged my clothes and placed seventy dollars change, in my outstretched hand.

"Thanks," I slightly bowed my head.

"Have a nice day," The cashier waved, and called to Leah and I, as we exited the store.

I scanned the main corridor of the mall for a bathroom sign so I could change into something more suitable. However, it was damn near impossible to see anything over the swarm of frenzied shoppers. Then I felt something insanely hot tug at my hand. I almost screamed, this time not only for effect. I bit my tongue and shot a glance downward at Renesmee's bright, brown eyes.

"Hey Leah, Malakai," Jacob said. He held Renesmee's hand like she could get kidnapped or something.

I laughed a little on the inside. A vampire getting kidnapped. Not impossible, but very unlikely. But then again, so was me hanging out with a shapeshifter, and my family being killed by some lycans.

"Jake," Leah said. "I thought you were going out with Quil. Why are you here?" She sounded annoyed.

"What?" Jacob raised his hands in defense, pushing out with his arms like people do when they want others to stay calm.

Why though?

"I thought you'd be glad to see me." He laughed. "Or are you angry that I interrupted your alone time wi-"

"Can it," Leah cut him off mid sentence.

"You still haven't told him?" Jacob put one of his palms to his face and shook his head. "Leah, Leah, Leah."

"Told me what?" I always felt like a member of an audience whenever these two were around. Sometimes it was entertaining. Sometimes down right annoying. Well, in any case, I decided to include myself _this_ time.

"Don't worry about it," Leah said, way too quickly.

"Okay," I returned to what I was doing before Jake's arrival; searching for a restroom. I turned my head. Nothing. On the other side of the mall. Nothing. I was moving my head quickly, fast enough for Jake to know what I was looking for.

"Bathroom's that way." Jacob pointed down the way. "On the left side."

I'm not sure, but I think I saw an idea flash in his eye. "I have to take a whiz too. I'll show you where it is."

"Alright."

"Leah will you watch Renesmee for me? I'll only be a sec." Jake crouched to be eye level with Renesmee. "I'll be back in a little, 'kay?"

"Okay," Renesmee's little voice chimed. That little girl...I don't know. She doesn't seem very vampiric to me.

"Wait," I guess Leah saw what I thought I saw. "We'll wait for you outside the door. Malakai can go in first, you second."

"What're you worried about Leah?" Jake snapped his fingers, apparently not going to let this die. "It's not like I'm going to touch his pee pee."

"That's how it's happening." Leah didn't change her game plan one inch. She stayed exactly where she was until Jacob finally nodded his head in surrender.

We trekked our way through the mall to the little side room containing doors to both bathrooms. Jacob carried Renesmee' here on his shoulders, so she didn't get trampled on the way.

"Okay, Malakai first. Like I said." Leah ordered. I weighed my option of saying something witty, but decided I'd rather stay on Leah's good side. Although, all of her sides were attractive.

I carried my bag into the men's bathroom. I peered around the corner to see if anyone was here that would prove problematic. No one in sight. Awesome. I hastily ran to the nearest stall and locked the door. I dropped the bag on the floor. I practically tore off Alice's feminine clothes and tossed them into the bag. Then I rummaged through it to find something that matched. I settled on a black polo shirt, baggy black jeans, and a red zip up vest that I wore open.

I patted my pockets. An old habit I had to make sure I had all of my gear for the day, back when I was comfortable. Happy.

I realized that I had nothing in them. I went back into my bag and pulled Alice's cell phone, and my wallet, out the pocket, and stuffed them into my new, roomy pants pocket. I had to run my fingers through my hair to somewhat straighten the curls. They didn't completely fall out, so I guess I'll have to go back to the Cullen's and get Alice to fix it. I shivered with the thought.

Regardless. I could now go back out into the world and not feel like every guy in a ten mile radius was looking me up and down. I threaded my fingers through the handles of the paper bag and carried it out of the stall, and out of the bathroom.

When I did finally make it out. Leah and Jacob were in a heated discussion about something I was sure that was of some significant importance. Jacob sat in one of the chairs along the wall of the small, white waiting room. Leah bent over him, saying something and shaking her head. Cute, little Renesmee sat in the chair that was next to Jake, playing with her own long curls.

"Just tell him Leah," Jake stayed still. He was completely relaxed in that cheaply padded, black chair. Even though Leah had made an attempt to look intimidating by standing over him. "Geez, why do you have to be so difficult?"

So it was about that again. The same conversation Leah had led to an abrupt end earlier. This was frustrating. What was it that Leah wouldn't tell me? It's not like she would have to worry about me going insane or anything like that. I accepted adoption to a family of vampires. If that isn't extreme, then I don't know what is.

"No Jake," Leah sounded like they had been at this for a while, even though I had only been in the restroom for about seven minutes. Her voice still kept its sharp edge. "It's better like this."

"Tell me what?" I asked, letting my irritation voice itself in my tone. I was fed up with being excluded. "Because, I'd really like to know."

"It's nothing," Leah barked back. "Just stay out of it."

I cringed a little on the inside, but held my ground. "No. Now what is it?" I repeated my question.

"Dude," Jacob managed to stand up, even with the way Leah was standing over his chair. "Leah's totally got-"

"Shut up Jake." Leah warned. She walked over to us.

"Malakai, right?" Renesmee jumped down from her seat and skipped to me.

"Yeah," I answered her.

"Leah..." She began.

"Quiet Renesmee." Leah's voice was still stern. She turned her head and mumbled. "Shit."

"I wasn't going to tell him that you imprinted on him!" Renesmee shouted. Her little voice sounded stronger than it should have. And since when do six year olds even know how to pronounce imprinted? "Oops," She covered her mouth with one hand.

I heard Leah mumbled even lower than she had before. "Damnit."

"Imprinted?" I asked. What was all the drama over one word anyway?

"Well, shapeshifters do it after they start phasing back and forth between animal form." Jacob said. He was leader of the pack, so it made sense he was knowledgeable about stuff like this. "It's kind of like love at first site. But not really."

"Okay," I nodded my head to let Jake know he still had my attention.

"It's really hard to describe. Like it kills me to be away from Renesmee for too long." He flashed Renesmee a quick smile. She returned the favor. "And, if something bad were to happen to her. I'd be like really really pissed."

"So you inscribed on Renesmee?" I asked. No wonder the two of them were _always_ together.

"Imprinted," he corrected. "And yeah."

"I see," My brain had been in student mode for the duration of this conversation. I heard information, not information that directly affected me. My eyes widened with realization. "So you mean, that me and Leah are like, an unofficial _thing?_"

"Yeah pretty much," Jake turned to Leah and patted her on the back. She rolled her eyes. "I don't see what the big deal was. I imprinted and it was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Because Jake," Leah had a vacant look in her eyes. Like she wasn't looking at me at all, but through me, into her past. "I don't have any luck with relationships. You of all people should know that."

"It was just one relationship." He argued.

"Yeah, but it killed me when that was over. And I didn't have feelings of the same magnitude either." Leah said. She was reflection on her first relationship I think. I would have loved to sympathize with her, but I couldn't due to lack of experience. "I didn't even imprint on Sam and it killed me. I don't want to know what will happen if I got rejected by the kid over there. I would just have to deal with it."

"Um, I like you lots." I know it wasn't the best choice of words. To get her to take me seriously and not like some kid would take some time, I know. But saying childish stuff like that definitely had to go out the window. "I mean, look at you. You're attractive, strong willed, and hilarious."

Jake elbowed Leah lightly. "He just said you looked funny."

"Woah woah, I mean her remarks are funny." I defended myself.

"So you like me huh kid? I guess we can start there." Leah smiled, and it almost made the trip from one cheekbone to another. She walked a little closer to me and hugged me close.

Damn she was hot. Like, in the slang definition of course, but literally as well. "Are you feeling okay? You're burning up."

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you." Jake snapped his fingers. "We're a little hotter than normal people. A nice toasty one-oh-two point eight."

"Damn."

Leah held me in the same spot. She placed one warm hand on my hair and the other around me. I wrapped my arms around her torso. It was all I could reach. Looking from a third person perspective, I bet this looked pretty funny. Leah was way taller than me. So she held me the way, in a traditional couple, the male would hold the female. And I held her vice-versa. Oh well. I can't say I didn't it either. I do have a thing for older women after all. Last but not least, I was just the perfect height to catch a face full of her chest.

"Um, yeah." My words were muffled into Leah's white hoodie. "I can't really breath like this. One, it's hot, and two, some of your errr. Yeah."

"Leah, I think you should let him go." A familiar voice said. I turned my head to see two pale faces: Alice and Bella. "You are smothering him with your boobs. Judging by how much his heart is fluttering, he doesn't mind. He probably would rather pick this up where he left off when you guys get back home."

Bella wasn't lying.

Leah released me and stepped back, laughing. "Really?"

I looked away, scratching my head. I would definitely need to learn how to control my heart rate, because being easily read like this would prove to be a problem later on down the road. I'm sure of it.

"We don't wanna be late for our reservations." Alice reminded us. "We have twenty three minutes to get there. We should be leaving now."

"Yep." Bella agreed.

Alice, Bella, Jake and Renesmee lead the way out of the mall to the car. On the way, I looked down at my hand, only to see that there were two where the one used to be. Leah's warm fingers threaded through mine. Something that I thought would never happen when I first met her. So I had a girlfriend now. What guy in his right mind wouldn't be ecstatic to have such a fantastic person at his side. I was no exception.

Leah bent down and gave me a small peck on the cheek. I blushed and my heart rate sped up again.

"Just wait. Just wait." She whispered into my ear.


	6. Night

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Author's Notes: I swear, I've been having the worst luck lol. I had tthis chapter done in one night, but then kicked my computer power cord, causing the power to surge. So I had to spend about a week reconstructing this chapter from memory. I know I missed some of the stuff in the original. But I added some concepts to this version, so you guys get something new. ~Inset Smiley~

**As for my reviwers, keep them coming. I really do appreciate them. I makes me happy when I see a new one. I like to know what my readers think. Review as often as you like. I'm not desparate! I swear lol. (Lies)**

**Anyway Enjoy,**

**Meech**

* * *

After dinner, the ride home seemed to blaze by. I looked through the tinted window and it was already dark outside. Bella and Alice hadn't eaten anything at the restaurant. Like I figured they wouldn't. It's a vampire thing I guess. Once you're turned, all of your favorite food tastes like crap I guess.

Leah and Jacob on the other hand. I don't know the words to describe the way Jake ate. It was like a cross between a lawn mower and an angry polar bear. As much as it pains me to say so. Leah ate like three times as much as my feeble ceasar salad. Renesmee ate a little too. Probably because Jacob was eating. It's insane the way she looks at him, even as a little girl. There's so much love in those little chocolate brown eyes of hers.

I wonder. Is that how I look at Leah?

When we arrived at the Cullen's place, Alice parked Emmett's Hummer in the same place we found it, and Jacob parked the Vanquish next to it. Inside the house, the whole family, with the exception of Bella, Alice, Jake, and Renesmee were in the front room. Carlisle and Esme had returned obviously.

Alice had flitted upstairs carrying her own things. Had she not nudged me, I wouldn't have noticed her passing.

I lugged my sole bag there and set it on the hardwood floor. Then I placed my weary body onto the soft white couch. I huffed out some air in exhaustion. My eyelids were heavy, but I managed force them open after every blink.

From what I could see through my blurred, tired vision. Everyone was wide awake, staring at me. Of course, they're immortal, and they dont sleep. What do they do in all that free time?

"Practice arts and hobbies." Edwards smooth voice said. "You should go to your room and get some sleep."

"My room?" I wasn't aware I had a room here. It would make sense. People usually don't go around adopting people without a place to house them. I think.

"Yes," Carlisle answered. He stood and his bronze hair gleamed in the dim light from the overhead lamp. "You can have Edward and Bella's old room. They moved out some time ago."

"Thank you," I slightly bowed my head in respect and gratitude. I don't know why I did it. It's an old habit I picked up watching all of that crappy anime on Toonami, everyday after school when I was younger.

"I replaced the matress for you," Jasped said. He waved a greeting to Alice and she skipped over to sit with him. He shot a grin at Edward.

Bella sauntered in and sat on Edwards lap. Renesmee ran into the room and Jake was hot on her heels. Renesmee dropped to the floor and layed there. Jacob tackled her, tickling her stomach. Renesmee stubbornly held in her laughter. She was trying hard not to laugh, it showed in her facial expression.

"Why? They never used it," Emmett jeered. His laugh resounded throughout the large open space.

"Well you guys dont sleep so..." I trailed off. Emmett's grin was easy enough for me to see through my weighted eyelids.

"Malakai. Kid, lemme tell you something," He stopped and leaned forward in he seat. "You like video games right?"

"Yeah." I like video games. I pride myself on being pretty decent if I do say so myself. I play a sick Halo 3. Though, I haven't touched an X-Box 360 controller in forever.

"What game?" Emmett was kind of professional sounding now. His inquiries were becoming more and more specific by the question.

"Halo."

"One, two, three or Wars?" Evidently, Emmett had some knowlegde on the matter.

"D. All of the above." I answered. I didn't want him to think I couldn't hold my own in a match should he challenge me. I could, and would defend my gamertag if needbe.

"Okay, so let's say Edward here is a Ghost." He nodded his head in Edwards direction. "And Bella is on foot, running and standing about twenty feet away from him. Guns blazing."

"Okay."

"Well, Edward wouldn't splatter her." Emmett smiled even wider. "He's the only person I know that's been a virgin for more than a hundred years."

I laughed along with him. Of course it was a nerd joke. But the humor was there. I enjoyed it. However, laughing at another vampires' expense wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do. As they say, twenty-twenty in hindsight.

"Enough," Carlisle said. Emmett and I stopped laughing at once. "Malakai, you look tired. Get some sleep. Alice will show you to your room."

"Please not Alice." I pleaded. They should all know why. If they didn't I would consider penis slapping them. I wouldn't do it though...I like my appendages where they are right now. "Last time she led me somewhere I left a different gender."

They all laughed.

"Leah. You are more than welcome to stay here too." Esme said. "In Malakai's room if you want."

Leah was quiet, as if weighing her options. She stared out the window at the fresh snow that had just finished falling not even ten minutes ago.

It's strange how the Cullens are so acceptive of the whole imprinting thing. If a twenty-something year old chick had fallen for me back at home, my mom would never, ever ask her if she wanted to share my bed. I laughed to myself at the thought. Edward did seem to have some hostilities toward Jacob and Renesmee's relationship. But, from what I could deduce, she was his daughter, and jacob was like sixteen year older than her.

"Don't worry. I won't bother you." Alice gave me an appologetic glance. It seemed safe enough. When she started up the stairs I followed.

"G'night everyone," I waved as I continued up the stairs. I turned my head and let my eyes dart behind me. I was shocked to see Leah actually coming with me.

"I thought you weren't going to stay." I whispered. There was no reason for me hushing my tone though. Everyone in the house could clearly hear what it was that I was saying.

"I don't plan on it." Leah answered, in normal conversation volume. She was right; no use in trying to hide it. "I'm just here to make sure that bloodsucker doesn't dress you up like a bitch again." She said, Alice turned and winked.

_Bloodsucker. _Why did she have to say it like that. Leah was no doubt talking about Alice. I don't know, I just dont like the way it sounded. It was derrogatory, something that should leave a bad taste in your mouth, like a racial slur. I'll let it pass, but if she goes on like that, I'll have to say something. I don't like people insulting the ones I loved, and that included the ones I love as well.

"Was I a pretty bitch?" I asked haphazardly. I was somewhat interested in hearing the answer to that question.

"Yeah, but I like you this way more."

"Me too," I said.

Alice rounded the corner and Leah and I were on her heels. She walked into a large room on the back corner of the house. It shared the same glass wall with the rest of the rooms located at the rear of the spacious home. The carpet was hardwood and the remainder of the walls were painted white. A large, cream, wooden entertainment center rested on the wall opposite of the glass. In it, was a large high definition television, at the bottom was a CD player and a plethora of CD's. On both the sides were bookshelves. The room overall was barren, but was fine the way it was.

"Malakai, this is your dresser," Alice walked to the vanilla colored dresser that perfectly complimented the tone of the walls. "You can put your stuff in here."

I managed to drag myself over to Alice and set the bag on top of the dresser. My eyes drooped even more. I don't think I've ever been this tired in my life. I fixated my half-conscious gaze on my new sister. "Alright."

"And Leah, this one is for you." Alice practically flew across the room. One second she was there in front of me. The next, she was gone. It really should stop surprising me that she can move that fast. Alice rested her hand on a tall armoire, it matched the dresser. "I put the clothes I bought for you at the mall in there already. So you should be set for the next month."

I did not know Alice was shopping for Leah.

"What makes you think that I'm going to stay here?" Leah sounded agitated. Maybe because she does not like being forced into things and imprinting wasn't making it easy for her.

Alice smiled, her whole face lifted with the motion. She merrily skipped over to me. She extended her index finger and touched it to my forehead. "Him."

Leah grimaced. Her eyes were locked on the tall pine tree that was direcly outside of my window.

"So, I'll leave you guys here to get settled." Alice removed her cold dainty finger and gave me a small kiss where her finger had been a second earlier. I got nothing out of the kiss. I probably would have a few hours earlier. This was only a sisterly gesture. One that I wasn't used to. "Night Malakai."

"Night Alice." I waved to her as she left, closing the white, wooden bedroom door.

Leah sat on the king-sized bed that Jasper had bought earlier. The white comforter curved in around her weight. "Fucking leech."

Again with that edge in her voice.

"Leah, that's my sister now. And the Cullens are my family." I forced my tired feet to move me toward the brown paper bag that my clothes were in. I had to brace myself on the dresser, I barely had anything left in me to run on. "I don't know why you don't like them, and I don't care." Maybe that was too harsh. I get cranky when I'm this sleepy, oh well. "I just ask that you try to treat them with respect."

I could feel Leah's gaze fixate itself at my back. As difficult as it was not to shudder in fear, I managed to resist the urge. "Alright," She surrendered.

I rummaged through the bag searching for the pajama shorts I purchased to sleep in. After two minutes of searching, my fingers wrapped themselves around the cool, soft, blue fabric of my night clothes. I took them out of the bag and looked around the room for someplace to change. I didn't think I would make it to the bathroom.

Leah turned and looked at me. She half-smiled and said : "Don't worry, I wont peek." Then her smile warped into something more seductive and her voice dropped into a more huskier tone. "Unless you want me to." She batted her feather duster-like eyelashes fervently.

The last part of her statement caught me completely off guard. Blood rushed to my cheeks and my clumsiness was not as sleep induced as it was a few minutes ago. "No," I twiddled my thumbs.

Leah's laugh filled the entirety of the room. Obviously, she was good at acting because she totally had me screwed up for a moment there. "Go ahead. Lemme know when you're finished." Leah faced her back to me and hummed some indistinguishable song.

I shimmied out of my man clothes and pulled on a loose white tee shirt and the blue shorts. "I'm done." I informed her. I stumbled my way to the foot of the bed and let my body fall onto it. This mattress Jasper picked out was extremely soft. It practically wrapped itself around me. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot," Leah answered. She pulled off her shoes and set them on the floor next to the bed frame.

"What's it like being a wolf?" I had been waiting for the right time to ask this question all day. I don't think this was it either. Before I was able to begin my mental bickering with myself again, she answered.

"It's alright." Leah said quietly, then slid her way up to the headboard, to lean against. "I mean, for the first few days it was such a rush, but now I'm used to it."

"Ah," That was not quite the answer I was hoping for.

"It does get annoying with everyone in the pack hearing your thoughts and what not," She continued.

"Hearing thoughts?" I'd seen lycans. My new family is that of vampires. My girlfriend transforms into a giant wolf. Mind reading wouldn't be too ludicrous.

"Like what that fast bloodsuc...Edward does," Leah corrected. At least she takes me seriously enough to respect my wish not to disrespect my family. "When I'm in wolf form, my thoughts are linked to everyone else in my pack who's phazed at the time."

"Can I see?" It felt like I was asking to see her naked or something. Well technically, maybe. Does fur count as clothing?

"Sure, if you want everyone in the pack to see you like this." Leah swung her legs onto the bed too. Now we were completely parallel.

"About that..." For some strange reason, more than two wolves knowing of me and my fragileness did not sit too well with me.

The feeling faded though. My waning conciousness had finally faded as I let my heavy eyelids close for the last time for who knows how long.

* * *

At what I think was a few hours later, I felt the bed rise in the absense of Leah's weight. I heard the creaking of a door, what I hoped was the door to her armoire. I layed still. Then I heard a jostling of clothes sliding off, then on. I had guessed right according to my deductive reasoning. I silently cheered myself in the cold of the winter night. The room was completely quiet for a moment, aside from the monotonous "tic-toc," of the small analog clock that hung on the wall. Then I heared creaking footsteps on the floorboards under the carpet. Leah was coming back to bed. She pulled back the sheets and wrapped herself in them as she got comfortable.

I rolled over indescriptly, maintaing my sleeping facade. It was then that I noticed that somehow I had ended up under the covers too. Damnit, it was still cold as fuck, even with two blankets and a sheet. I couldn't fight back the shiver that ran down my spine. I curled into my arms to try and warm myself. No luck there. The goosebumps on my legs continued to spread around my body. Then another shiver found its way hiking down my spine.

Leah sighed and lithely crawled closer to me. She wrapped her arms around my frigid torso. She was so hot. Literally, and in the slang definition as well. Leah came a little closer again, and hugged me close. It was wonderful; like having my own little space heater. I uncurled myself and pressed a little closer. Leah's warmth was so inviting. Despite the hungering cold, this moment felt so right. I didn't get any arousal out of this. I simply enjoyed Leah's presense, and I didn't want her to leave. We were together, in the darkness. Inseperable. For the time being. Come morning time, we would be forced to go about our daily lives, awaiting another moment like this one.

All my food for thought was entertaining, to say the least.

The righteous heat radiating from Leah made it too difficult not to sleep. The tingly sensation surrounded and engulfed me.

So sleep I did.

* * *

_"Who are you?" I asked the incredibly large animal standing in front of me. It's fur was white, but littered with black spots._

_It said nothing. It merely unsheathed it's hooked, razor-sharp claws and shook its feline-shaped head. When it opened its mouth, a glistening row of dagger-like teeth revealed themselves. Slightly larger than the rest, were four fangs._

_Had I been sane, I probably would have run away. There is no reason for me to be standing here trying to have a conversation with this cat. No reason for me to trust it any longer not to eat me. Still, I held my ground._

_The leopard somewhat reminded me of my mom. The gentle look in its eyes; the ferociousness of its demeanor; the speed I was sure it posessed. But it wasn't her. It was different. I've never seen that many emotions flash across one face so quickly. Anger, sadness, happiness, sorrow, love. The one that showed up most often however, was vengence._

_This is strange enough. The snow leopard barely fits into the town of Forks. Had it not been for winter, and the prevalent blizzards creatng snow drifts; this animal would have been completely out of place. But it looked at home here. Like it was the only place it had._

_"Who are you?" I asked again, hoping for some kind of answer._

_The cat watched me warily for a long time. Then carefully strode toward me and set its paw on my chest. I glanced down to see that the cat had not lacerated me like I expected, but left his paw there._

_I stared into its hazey iris'._

_The cat was unfaltering. Bold in his strength._

_"Answer me." I said louder than before. "Who are you?"_

_The cat froze and looked at me again. Then shook its head from side to side as if to say "idiot," or something of a similar meaning. It drew back its paw, turned, and headed back into the forest._

* * *

**Author's Question: So? How was it? lol.**


	7. You

**Authors Note:** **Sorry this upload took so long. School began and I've been getting into the swing of things. At least this chapter is all Leah/Malakai action. **

**As for all the readers that continue to pursue this story; Thank you. Your reviews are what make me want to continue writing this. Keep them coming.**

**Thanks again,**

**Meech**

* * *

Morning came all too quickly. The only signs of time's perpetual advances were the light that shone in through the transparent window-wall, and the digital dispay of the clock that read nine twenty-seven. Yes, I was awake, but I did not move from my rather...Favorable position here in bed.

From what I could tell, Leah wasn't asleep either. Her breathing was too controlled. We both lay still, enjoying one another's company. Leah's smooth, satin sleepwear caressed the bare skin of my face.

Heavenly.

Sometime during my slumber, I wrapped my arms around her as well, returning her warming embrace. That made the situation that much sweeter.

"So, when are you getting up?" Leah asked.

"When you get tired of me." I said.

"Then you should have been gone yesterday," She shot back.

"Ouch," I said. I knew she was kidding. I sat upright, breaking the long unbroken physical bond. "Thanks." I told her.

"For?" Leah sat up too, and let her back rest on the headboard.

"Last night." I scratched my head, searching for the right words. "It was cold, and..."

"It's whatever." Leah interrupted conveniently for my sake. She pulled her arms out from under the sheets and sat them on top of the comforter.

"What's going on today?" I hoped Leah wasn't completely adverse to going out somewhere. "I have about a week before winter break is over. Carlisle and Esme put me into Forks High Scho-"

The sheets that, up until now, Leah had drawn close to her slid down, revealing her appealing choice of clothing. The black, lace nightgown was held in place by two thin spaghetti straps the hung on her shoulders. Her bronze skin was visible through it. Her bra and panties left something to the imagination. And trust, mine was working in overdrive.

I stared at Leah wide-mouthed. My eyes wandered every inch of her exposed frame.

I guessed that she didn't realize that she was; A. Hotter than the Sahara; B. Had no idea what just happened; or C. She just didn't give a shit.

I'd put my money on C. Leah didn't seem like the type of girl to do this purposely. However, she did have me going for a minute last night.

"We can go to a movie or something." Leah answered the question before my full time distraction had occurred. The she tracked my puppy-dog gaze back to herself, catching on quickly. "Fucking perv!" She shouted. It was only an accusation proven to be true. She wasn't angry. Or so I thought. She pushed me hard enough to send me hurtling off of the bed, onto my face. Then pulled back the blanket with the other hand.

I poked my head up over the ridge of the bed. "Um...My bad?" I wasn't sure exactly what to say. Leah was still smiling, but that wasn't the lightest shove ever.

"It's alright" She said. "Don't let it happen again."

After the risque mood had passed, I hear ed the jostling of my door nob. I looked over as it turned. The small golden orb completed it's revolution and the door creaked open.

A man stood in the door frame. His eyes darted from me, to Leah, to her scattered undergarments that sat at the foot of the bed. He probably pieced together the most logical reason Leah was scantily clad in my bed. The wrong reason.

There was an unmistakable look in the brown-skinned man's eyes.

Fury.

Fury that I would not have the pleasure of manipulating. It was uncontrollable. I could tell from first glance that it flowed through him like a waterfall.

Upon the realization, I raised my hands to say the most cliched line for moments like these. "It's not what it looks like."

Leah looked at the muscular man as he stepped in. "Seth," I heard her mumble.

I foresaw what happened next. I still was powerless to change it.

The mountain of a man lunged at me. His body mas was completely misleading. I didn't think he would be able to close the twenty feet that separated us in only three steps. The next second, I was in agonizing pain. The punch he delivered to my torso felt like he had drilled a hole straight through me.

"Shit," I heard Leah mutter. It was followed by the crumpling of sheets as she threw them to the floor. "Seth, relax. Nothing happened."

I doubled over in pain. My eyes were still wide, but rather than it being from Leah's attire, it was from the shock and awe I was in. It took every grain of self-control I could muster, not to let any sound escape my clenched teeth.

When I managed to raise my head to look at my assailant, Leah had a firm grip on the arm that was poised for attack. Thank the heavens.

"Seth, calm down," Leah continued to soothe the beast. "Don't phase this close to him. Nothing happened." She said again.

"Then why are you here?" Seth asked. "Dressed like that." He used his free hand to sweep at her nightgown.

"He was just cold so I stayed the night. Like what Jake did for Bella that one time." Leah shook her head. Then expelled a sigh. "About the clothes...Alice bought them yesterday. This is what covered the most of me, so I wore it to sleep in." She rubbed Seth's back.

My legs finally gave out, and I fell to my knees with a thud on the wood. "Remind me to thank Alice." I huffed out in coughs.

"Just sit down over here." Leah led dragged Seth over to the two chairs that lined one of the walls of my room. I heared murmurs coming from the direction, but they were so quiet I couldn't make out what they were saying.

I almost hit my face on the floor when I fell forward. I braced my self with my arms, breaking my fall and dodging that bullet.

"Fuck!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. I had to prepare myself to say that one-syllable word. Had I not, the only sound I would have made, would be shriek of agony.

"Damnit," Leah rushed over to me. She wiggled her arms under me. She was careful not to touch my blunt impact wound courtesy of that muscle head sitting in _my _chair.

Leah lifted me up and carried me down the stairs, through the hallway, and into the kitchen. She let me down onto my feet. I almost fell again, but she caught my arm.

I looked up, and there stood Carlisle. I shuddered with the pain that had intensified in our little stroll downstairs.

"Fix him," Leah pleaded. She sounded desparate. Over me? Strange. Yes. But the last few days haven't been exactly normal. "Please."

"What happened?" Carlisle knelt down to meet my gaze.

I attempted to answer him, but all I could beckon were jagged, short gasps.

"My idiot brother came to wake me up," Leah began. She sounded frantic. Frantic and angry. "He saw me in his bed," Leah gestured to me. "and started jumping to conclusions. Then this."

Brother. So that was Leah's brother. Great. I think I made a pretty good impression. I really should stop being so sarcastic with myself. I'm annoying me.

"I see." Carlisle slung my other arm over his shoulder. "We should get him down into the basement. I can take an X-ray down there. See if anything is broken."

I heard the front door open. I made a sideways glance out the corner of my eye to see who it was; Alice and Jasper. They simultaneously nodded their heads in greeting.

"Um Leah," Alice had a troublesome expression on her face. "When I bought that it wasn't really for everyone in the house to enjoy."Alice tugged at one of the thin straps of Leah's gown. "It was more for Malakai, to tell the truth."

"Lucky kid," Jaspers eyes quickly flitted to Leah in more that aknowledgement. If I hadn't been so dead right now I'd say something to him.

"He doesn't look so lucky now," How observant of Alice. "What happened this time?"

Leah only said one word. "Seth."

"I was wondering how that introduction would go." Alice said.

"You two can finish this later. Right now, I need to take a look at Malakai." Carlisle led me through the door in the back of the kitchen, and down a flight of mahogany stairs.

There wasn't much in the basement. A table, chair, and a rack that held vests in various sizes were the only decoration in this room. I guess this is where the work gets done.

Carlisle carried me to the chair and set me down. After that, he disappeared and reappeared with one of the vests from the rack across the room.

"This will protect your organs from the radiation." He said, and layed the full weight of the vest on me.

The vest was heavier than it looked, and it sat directly on top of my sore spot. It hurt like hell, but I managed to hold my composure.

"Please stay still and I'll be back in a moment." Carlisle said that like he had rehearsed it a thousand times.

"You don't really have to leave do you?" I asked. He is a vampire for Pete's sake.

"I'm sorry," Carlisle flashed his gleaming white teeth. "Old habits die hard, as they say."

Carlisle flipped a switch on the wall, and a low buzzing sound filled the room. After about two minutes it ended. Carlisle removed the vest and I could breathe freely, and a little less burdened. He sauntered over to the wall behind me and pressed a small button and a cleverly concealed monitor on the ceiling illuminated, showing the pictures of my virtually undamaged rib cage.

"Nothing is broken." Carlisle scrutinized the photos rubbing his chin. Then tugged at my shirt a little to get my attention. "Do you mind?"

I shook my head.

Carlisle lifted my shirt from the bottom, and pulled it up, careful not to hurt me. By the way he looked at me, I could tell it wasn't pretty.

"Wow." Carlisle ran his pale fingers though his hair. "That's a serious bruise." He turned to Leah, who leaned on the wall on the wall furthest away from us. "He'll be alright. There's no sign of internal bleeding."

Leah sighed in relief.

Carlisle patted my knee and walked up the flight of stairs that led back to the kitchen. He rested his hand on the doorknob, then faced Leah again. "Would you mind if I asked you to phase? My other sons are here and I'd prefer to prevent and ogling."

"Sure." Leah answered.

"Thank you," Carlisle opened the door and stepped out.

Leah pulled her black nightgown over her head, removing it.

I watched of course. I'm fifteen years old, and a guy. What man in his sane mind wouldn't watch his girlfriend disrobe?

Leah's matching black bra and panties were so much more enticing when they were unobscured.

As I stared for far too long, I made a mental note to thank Alice very much for our shopping trip and its...Benefits.

Leah cleared her throat. "What are you looking at?" She twirled her index finger in a circle. "Turn around."

"Oh um. Yeah." I stood slowly and turned my back to her. I counted the tiles on the floor to distract myself from what exactly we going on behind me. When I made it to seventeen I felt a soft impact on the top of my head. I grabbed it and held it in front of me for a better view. "Aaaah!" I yelled and dropped the bra.

I turned to see what was taking Leah so long. In her place was a huge black wolf. It – She was as tall as me – a little taller, not that thats saying much. Her black fur was deeper around the chest and tail, and more shallow everywhere else.

Leah barked what sounded like a laugh. She nudged me with her muzzle and nodded her head to the door. Then cantered around the room, grabbing her undergarments with her mouth, and completed the loop by heading up the stairs.

I followed her up and through the kitchen. To get back to my room, it was inevitable that we pass the archway that was a clear view into the living room, and vice-versa. Sure enough, where the family was.

"Oh my gawd!" Emmett shouted. "What were you doing in the basement with her?"

"Probably sex. He smells like pheromones." Jasper said coolly.

"Doggystyle?" Emmett asked.

"Literally." Edward answered. I really don't like him. Why? I don't know.

Leah scoffed at the whole conversation and continued to ascend the staircase. I wish I could have handled it like her.

"What?!" I squealed in a high pitch as blood rushed to my face. "Nothing happened!" I yelled behind me. I could hear the laughter behind me as I rushed the sanctity of my room.

I went to the closet and opened the door. There was nothing there of course, I didn't put anything in there when we returned from shopping. All of my clothes were still in that bag on the dresser. I turned to said dresser, and Leah was back in human form. She winked as she pulled on a pair of worn looking blue jeans.

"You should go take a shower and get dressed." Leah pulled a black tee shirt over her head. She freed her hair and it sat on her back in the long waves that came with an Indian ancestry.

"What about you?" I asked, finding my clothes for the day.

"I showered after my patrol this morning." She said evenly. "Don't tell me you think I wake up this sexy." She blew me a kiss.

"That depends. Would you laugh if I did?" I did. She's been absolutely stunning, even in the simplest of attire.

Leah laughed. "Seriously?"

I nodded. "Then why did you shimmy back into that little number?" I pointed at the nightgown on the bed.

"Alice said you would like it." Leah admitted with a sheepish look on her face.

"Really now? Thank. You. Alice." I said quietly.

"No prob little bro!" I heard Alice shout from her room down the hall.

"Where are we going anyway?" I sauntered to the door walking backward, awaiting Leah's answer.

"It's a surprise. Now hurry up." Leah said urgently. Like I was making her late for something. Hell, for all I knew, I was.

I opened the door and skipped merrily to the bathroom. My head filled with all these ideas for the surprise.

* * *

"Here," Bella said, walking over to a wall-mounted key rack. "You can drive my car if you want." She yanked a key ring off the rack and tossed it to Leah.

Leah snatched it from the air and thrust it into her jean pocket. "Thanks." She said reluctantly.

"See you later?" Alice appeared next to me.

"I think so. I don't plan on dying today." I answered sarcastically.

"That works I guess." Alice said. "Around here you never know." She trotted back upstairs from whence she came.

"Ready?" Leah asked as we both passed through the garage door. She extracted Bella's keys from her front pocket and pressed the unlock button on the remote.

A shiny, hi-gloss red Ferrari F430 flashed its lights three cars down.

I looked over at Leah. "WTF?" I used the acronym because I always have this edge in my voice when dropping the F-bomb.

Leah smiled and pressed another button on the remote. The Ferrari's Italian engine revved loudly, then settled into a comfortable purr.

I returned the smile twofold. We opened our doors and got into the car. Sure, it was low to the ground. However, I did not mind it at all.

Leah inserted the keys into the ignition, twisted them, tapped the gas pedal, and we were speeding along the road. Trees blurred by, outside the window.

I watched them absentmindedly. The various shades of green all combined into one earthy color. And that color normalized the entire forest.

"Answer this," Leah said as she navigated the city's sidestreets. "What do you like most about me?" She deliberately avoided eye contact with me, feigning like she actually needed to give the road her complete, undivided attention.

I did know how to respond to that. It would just feel awkward since I'm not a romantic type of guy. I'm not particularly awesome at expressing myself. So, as an attempt to dodge the question, I reiterated it to her. "What do _you _like most about _me?_"

"I asked first," Leah took her eyes off the road and squared her gaze on me. "I get my answer first."

"Alright." I half-suspected that Leah had found out that I cannot deny her _anything._ More so, I suspected that Edward had been her informant, despite their less-than-stellar relationship. "You." I said finally.

"Yeah," Leah continued to travel twice the speed limit in residential neighborhoods. "What do you like most?" She looked slightly annoyed.

Leah definitely wasn't making this easy. Maybe this was payback for the mall incident the other day. Maybe not. Regardless, I have a she-wolf to answer to right now.

"Well?" She badgered.

"You." I said. "That's my final answer Merideth." Pitiful attempt at comedy, I know. Anything to help lighten the mood.

"Couldn't think of anything else to say? Really?" Leah's shoulders slumped. She looked a little hurt at my lack of adjectives.

"Every part of you." I said slowly. "You're an amazing person. No matter how detached you _try _to be, everyone knows that deep down, you care." I wanted to bite my tongue and end it right here, but I kept going. "You're nurturing believe it or not." I cannot believe I'm telling her all this.

Leah sat quietly, obviously not going to interrupt until she was sure I was finished.

This time it was my turn to avoid Leah's eyes, and look over my shoulder, through the smoked glass window. "And every time I've seen you, you've been nothing short of beautiful." I looked back at her.

Leah sat in the red and gray mesh bucket seat with a triumphant look on her face. "I guess my instincts were right about you. I would've settled for a 'you're hot,' but that works too."

Now I felt like an idiot, spilling my guts to her. "Well, that and your boobs are pretty big." I said nonchalantly. I wasn't lying.

Leah laughed and smiled. "They are quite large." She said in a mock-British professor accent. Then she took her hands off the steering wheel and held it in place with her knees. Leah sat both hands on her chest and bounced her breasts up and down.

I watched for a second, the averted my attention to my now twiddling thumbs. It was too late though. My heart rate fluttered and my face was flushed with red.

Leah laughed much louder than before. It was musical. Her laugh was now officially my favorite song. And I would do whatever it took to hear it everyday.

"That's what I like most about you kid." Leah managed to properly articulate between chuckles.

"What?" I was confused. I saw nothing aside from Leah fondling herself – which I thoroughly enjoyed. But getting my heart rate under control was priority one.

"That innocence." She said, calming down. "It makes you so easy to fuck with, and your reactions are funny as hell."

"I'm not innocent." I lied. "I'm a killer." I said sarcastically.

"Lies."

"Anyway," I said changing the subject. "Next time you wanna touch yourself, I could lend a hand. Literally."

"Maybe I'll let you." Leah narrowed her eyes, rested a hand on my shoulder. When she whispered in my ear, she filled her voice with a huskiness that made my heart skip a beat. Literally.

Leah bit back another laugh, but it was apparent on her goddess-like features.

"You win." I surrendered. I glanced out the window again.

Outside was a complete change of Forks. The was a large, open, sandy beach. It was overshadowed by an immense cliff face. Surrounding it, were the large pine trees native to the area. The only feature this beach shared with Forks was the dreary, overcast sky.

"First beach." Leah turned off the car and opened her door. "C'mon."

"Okay," I opened my door, exited the car and looked for Leah.

She was already on her way down the path of jagged boulders that was the way to the softer, sandier portion of the beach.

I leaped down and followed Leah. I tried to keep up with her, but her movements were so precise. So agile. So lithe.

My mere human capabilities would never allow me to move like that. It was so obvious that we were worlds apart, yet coexisting harmoniously.

At the end of the path, we were met by, what looked to be a gang. They were all at least six feet tall. All aside from the woman sporting a nasty looking burn on her face, and a little girl that appeared to be seven.

Everyone else had the same exact skin hue. They were all insanely muscular. They waved hellos to Leah, and passed judgmental looking glances in my direction.

Maybe I was being overly self-conscious. I just didn't feel safe here.

"He smells scared boys," One said.

I froze momentarily, then steadied my breathing and forced my feet to remain in place at Leah's side.

"And listen to that heart race." Another said and smiled. "Think you can make it back to that car before we catch you?" He licked his teeth.

Just where the hell did Leah bring me? I have to make it home. I promised Alice I wouldn't die today. Hah, I say this like I have a choice. One thing is for sure, I won't die a cowards death. I'll stare them dead on and do everything in my meager strength to kill someone at least.

"Knock it off guys," Leah said as she crossed the invisible line between us and them. She punched on of them in the shoulder. "Introduce yourselves so he can calm the hell down."

"Jared." The guy in the back raised his hand.

"Quil," The one with the young girl at his side said. "This is Claire."

The little girl waved.

"Embry." Another nodded.

Seth was in the back. His was the most judging of all the gazes. I couldn't help but succumb to his intimidation and looked away.

"And I'm Sam." The tallest of the giants stepped forward and extended his hand.

I shook it.

He gestured at the woman with the burned face next to him. "Emily."

She stood next to Sam like I stood next to Leah. There was some emotional connection between them. I guessed it to be lovers from the shimmer in Sam's eye when he said her name.

"I'm Malakai. Nice to meet you all." That was more difficult to say than it should have been. My teeth chattered and it felt like I could have chipped a few.

"They know better than to fuck with you. Don't worry." Leah winked at me.

I set my palm on the back of my head and exhaled.

"So you're Leah's now, huh?" Embry shook his head.

"Yeah." It was always an instinct for me to answer questions truthfully. I'm an honest person. Shoot me.

Never mind. All good people die before their time, just like mom.

"Do you know what you're getting yourself into? This world isn't for the weak." It sounded like he was referring to Lead for a second. I'm sure of it. The rest of the statement was to save him from incurring the wrath of Khan.

"That's what he has me for. If anyone wants to try something. BAM!" Leah took a boxers stance and fired off three lightning quick jabs. She was actually enjoying herself. Her whole entity just seemed like it was radiating happiness.

Really, I'm glad she's on my team. That would suck ass to fight against. Not that I'd ever hit a woman.

Sam laughed to himself. "That's my Lee Le-" He stopped himself mid-sentence. His face went neutral again. His laugh lines hid themselves and he swallowed hard.

Leah stopped as well. She closed her eyes and breathed rigidly.

"I think it's too soon for your old pet name Sam." Quil shrugged and turned his body toward the ocean.

"I wasn't trying to...It's just, the only times I would call her that was when she was happy." Sam looked at Emily, then out into the forest, at something I was sure I couldn't see. "The only time she was happy was when we were dating. It was just habit to call her that. Sorry Leah."

"Um. You two dated?" I asked.

So this was the one relationship Jake was talking about. Well, Sam wasn't bad looking. His tanned skin and short hair probably had all the women around here swooning.

"Yeah." Sam closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Ah." There were so many questions I wanted to ask, but I kept them all on a tight leash, for the most part. I walked closer to Sam, Leah followed. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Sam hunched over so I could whisper my question into his ear.

"So," I said in a hushed tone. "Is it just me, or does Leah like'em young? You look about three years younger than her." It had been a question I'd been begging to ask, but I was afraid of what could possibly happen.

There was muffled laughter throughout the pack. Then I felt an elbow thrust itself into my bruised mid-section. I gasped and looked to my side. Evidently Leah had heard me. Leah _and _the pack.

"How old do you think I am?" Leah sounded irritated, but like myself, I couldn't stay angry at me for too long.

"Twenty-three?" I guessed, no one ever told me her real age.

"Damn, he just said you were older than you looked." Embry laughed.

"No no what I meant was..." Was there any use in trying to recover from the situation? Yeah. Would it be successful? No. I bit my tongue to prevent my mouth from causing anymore trouble.

"Ass munch, Sam is two years older than _me._" Leah turned her head violently. Her hair flew with the motion and resettled into her dark glossy curls along her back.

A loud screech filled the silent air of the beach. I looked around frantically for the source, but to no avail. Then I saw that everyone had their heads turned in the same direction in the sky. I followed the stares and I could make out a bird.

Well, it could have been a bird if they every developed steroid technology. It looked like an owl, but no owl could be that big. Not by the laws of the human world.

I stood unfaltering, watching as the owl continued on its collision course with me. I didn't realize that I was in its direct path until it was to late.

The owl crashed into me head first, knocking me from my feet. After the first point of contact, I felt. Different. It was more on a spectral level, than a biological one. I thought anyway.

"Shit, I didn't think it would keep going until it hit you." Leah looked at the bird on the ground, then came to help me up.

I stole a glance at the motionless that lay at my feet. It took me a minute to process what had just occurred. "I killed it?"

"No, vice versa." Quil said.

Leah looked at her watch then bonked herself in the forehead. "Well, if you're alright, we need to go. We're running late."

"Late for?" I asked.

"Don't question the cradle robber, just get in the car." Embry continued to chide. He was getting quite annoying, and had he not been almost a foot taller than me, I would say something about it.

"Shut it." Leah spat. She directed her attention to me. "Just get in the car."


	8. Mmm Punch

**A/N: I don't have much to say about this chapter. It went exactly as I wanted it to, which is great. No mishaps with this one lol. I didn't lose/burn/delete any of it. Yay Meech. **

**Also, going out to everyone who goes on and on about Malakai being too young for Leah and have him go through a growth spurt. He's still the same age after he changes, just would _look _a little older. That isn't to say that he will not have a growth spurt/phase. It is just too fun to have these awkward moments between Leah and Malakai. For example, the one in this chapter could never happened if he had already gone through the symptoms of phasing.**

**Anyway, thanks for the support.**

**Read and Review,**

**Meech**

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Leah didn't say anything about what we were being late for. Since the scenery was becoming more and more common with Forks, I figured we were heading back home. We were going much faster than we were on the way to first beach. That probably should have worried me, but I felt absolutely safe around Leah. Always, except for when I would be the one invoking violent responses for asking some rather rude questions.

We pulled into the driveway about twenty minutes after we left. Going the speed limit posted on the signs on the highway, it would have taken us another twenty minutes.

We silently exited the car and locked it. I walked sullenly to give off the impression that I was sad I pissed Leah off. Which wasn't completely off base. It was more for effect though.

"I'm not angry, so speed it up. We made it on time." Leah said as she opened the front door. Evidently, Leah had taken notice of my false sulking and felt she needed to lift my mood.

It made me smile a little.

No use in lying to myself. Damn I love her.

"For what?" I asked as I entered the door.

"This." Jasper tossed a large manilla envelope to me from his seat on the couch.

I flinched away from it, causing a few chuckles. I managed to recover and catch it before it fell onto the floor. I unfolded the metal clasps and pulled open the flap of the envelope. Inside it were a few papers of different sizes. I emptied the contents into my hands. Among them were birth certificates, passports, and other identification cards.

All bearing the name Malakai Cullen.

"So I guess I'm in?" I asked, still rifling through the papers that solidified my new identity.

"Officially." Edward said, leaning against the wall.

Rosalie made some kind of grunt from her seat next to Emmett. It had an edge of disgust. I think. She stood so quickly that she was invisible with the motion. She turned to Carlisle and Esme, her eyes narrowed in anger.

"Seriously?" Rosalie seethed through clenched teeth. "Why don't we just put a huge sign on our house that says _Vampires R Us?_ Or _Please, come kill us for letting another human into the know Volturi._" I guess she didn't know about my little ceremony.

It was obvious Rose didn't like me. I don't know why. Ever since I've been here, I haven't spoken much with her. Maybe it was because of that, or maybe because I was human. Either way, the feeling was growing mutual.

"Because," Carlisle started, not moving from his relaxed position on the couch. "We help people."

"Yeah, and It would look stupid as hell." Jacob chimed in from the corner of the room. He and Renesmee sat together, looking at the hardend stale snow. An epicenter of fingerprints on the window was next to her head.

"Ugh!" Rosalie grunted again and stomed off, out of the room, then up the staircase, to what I presumed, her room. As she passed me, she made an effort to shove me into the wall. It wasn't obvious, just the agression was.

It didn't piss me off. I shruged and threw my arms into the air. "Regardless, thank you Carlisle, Esme. You won't regret this." I had no intention of going back on my word either. "What's with her little temper tantrum?"

"She just get's like that." Emmett informed me. He yawned and rested his head on the cushion behind him. "Don't pay any attention to her."

"Alright." Simple enough. But, if she did keep bitching at me, or about me, I wont stay where I'm not wanted.

"It's just her that feels that way. You're welcome and wanted." Edward Said. That mind reading was getting on my nerves too.

"Yeah, just give her some time." Bella layed her head on Edward's shoulder and watched Jake and Renesmee from the corner of her eye. "She'll come around."

"I'll take your word for it." I nodded slowly. Then glanced at Leah, who never seemed to talk around the Cullens.

It was only a matter of time before Alice flitted from her seat and appeared next to me. She sat her dainty hand on my shoulder and pulled a small box from her shirt pocket.

"Here," Alice put the box in my palm that she held open. "It's an early Christmas present. Open it."

It was wrapped in gold paper and had a green bow on it. I opened it like Alice asked. It was a new iPhone. I fumbled with the box to find the tape sealing it shut, but it had already been removed. I took the phone out of the box and examined it. It had already been powered on and activated.

"I took a guess at what music you'd like and put it on." Alice smiled. If me taking the phone would make her that happy, then I won't tell her adverse I am to taking presents this early in my induction to the family. "All our numbers are in it too." She said. Her eyes flitted to Leah.

Leah looked away.

"Yeah, her's too." Alice whispered in my ear. "Having a mind reading brother comes in handy. Sometimes."

"So does having a pygmy clairvoyant for a sister." Edward chuckled to himself, bouncing with the action.

"Thank you." I hugged Alice and she returned the sentiment. I nodded at the rest of the family. They got the gist of my silent individual thank you's. I pushed the phone into my pocket. I grabbed the small white ear buds from the box and draped them over my shoulders, shoving the pug into the phone.

I hate earbuds, but I'll put up with them since my favorite sister gave them to me. Some silver and white Skullcandy headphones would be nice though.

Then, there was a light knocking on the door. Everyone in the room stopped, all glancing at the unexpected door that hid an unwelcome guest, I guessed. Alice walked over and opened the door since she was closest. Leah pushed me behind her in relation to the door.

A scraggly fellow was on the front porch. His hair was unruly, even more so than mine. His eyes were black and skin was tan. The black clothes he wore were clean and well ironed. Not a wrinkle was there. He scrunched his nose and looked around Leah, at me.

"Aro sent me." He said in a Brazilian accent. "I am a messenger."

"Okay," Carlisle rose and walked to the door, blocking any potential path he had into the house. "What are you here to say?"

"Aro says to be careful of who you befriend." The man pointed at me.

If he was going to be so obscure in his words. Then why point at me and make who you were talking about obvious? Fucking idiot.

"He hopes that you plan on turning this one as well." I could barely understand what he was saying, that Spanish accent was so thick. "You have such luck with choosing the ones with excellent talents." He laughed. "Maybe this one could join the guard."

"Nope." Emmett said.

"Ah, that was it." He turned his back to us as he began to stride away. "Well, in any case, try not to smell so appetizing next time. I may not be able to control myself." He jumped the rest of his way down the stairs, then disappeared with speed as he left.

"So. That was strange." I said after I was sure he was gone.

"Alice, did you see him coming?" Carlisle asked my little-big sister.

"Not at all." Alice creased her brow. She exhaled and slouched her shoulders for a moment. Then they returned to their natural, good posture.

"You couldn't hear him Edward?" Esme tapped Edward on his shoulder with her pale hand.

"Thinking back, I could." He let out an exasperated sigh. "I just didn't pay attention. Sorry."

"Whatever." Leah said. It seemed like that whole incident didn't phase her. She was unshaken. Her posture never slipped once, he head was held high, and her hair sat perfectly along her back. "Me and Malakai are going out. We'll be back tomorrow I guess."

Emmett couldn't resist. "Hmm, an all-nighter? Careful Kai, that's a she-wolf."

Kai. I guess that could be my nickname. Aside from "you," and "asshole," I've never had a real nickname. It does sound like an Asian name, but whatever. I've been dubbed.

Leah looked at Edward with a glare that wasn't too hostile, which was a first. He nodded, then leaned over to whisper something into Carlisle and Esme's ears.

"Have a nice night." Carlisle raised his hand in farewell.

"Will do." I said. Leah and I walked from the living room to the central hallway. As we passed the stair case, I shouted. "Thanks for the phone Rose." Hell, kindness is contageous, maybe it applies to vampires too.

I opened the front door, allowing Leah to exit first, being the gentleman that I am. Looking at all of the other men in my new family, aside from Emmett, I had a lot to learn in the ways of gentleman-ship? So what, I made up a new word. Rappers and childrens' book writers do it all the time.

I wouldn't bother asking where we were going since Leah liked to keep me in unnecessary suspense.

We both got into the red Ferrari and sped off into the orange evening light.

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We slowed to a stop in front of some house on the reservation. There were white Christmas lights strewn along the tall Douglas Firs. They brightened the sky, even though the sun was out. It was setting, but out none the less. Some pop music escaped the closed environment and made its way to my ears.

I closed my eyes, and leaned my head back to try and decipher the song.

"We're here." Leah opened her door, then let it shut. "C'mon. Let's party." She said with a genuine smile on her face, her white teeth gleamed in the dim light.

That was the first time I'd seen Leah smile like that. I won't forget it either. She was beautiful when her worries and regrets were hidden. Maybe someday, I can help vanquish them for good.

I swung the door open and stepped out of the car. I brushed my shirt to remove some of the light wrinkles that had set in during the ride. "Let's do it."

I followed Leah inside the house. There were so many people here. I'm pretty sure whoever was running this party could get a citation from the fire marshal, if Washington even has them. I can't imagine there being much of a need for one, here in the rainiest state of the continental U.S.

A few of the guys from earlier were here. I saw Embry on the wall in the living room, talking to two girls. He waved, and I nodded to aknowledge was in a room away from the ruckus with Claire, enjoying her company.

Leah and I made it into the kitchen, where she walked over to Emily giving her a smile and a hug. Sam was seated at the small four-person, kitchen table. The table was the main source of food for the party, I guessed. It was adorned with large, matching, black ceramic bowls. Each held a different dish. In one was macaroni and cheese, another was pasta salad. I couldn't see what was in each bowl, but what I saw looked promising.

Emily sat the spatula she was using to flip the sausage patties, in her apron pocket and gestured at me for a hug.

I walked over a little slower than I should have and wrapped my arms around her.

"Make yourself at home," Emily said. Her finger caressed her jaw for no apparent reason. "Food is on the table, help yourself." The same finger she rubbed her chin with, she swept toward the food on the table. "It's a party, have fun."

"Thanks. I will." I told her, and went to the table to grab a plate. I was ridiculously hungry.

I scooped some macaroni and cheese onto the paper plate. Then some pasta salad. I had to dig around the olives, since I can't stand them. There were some hot dogs, links, and burgers in another bowl on the table. I took one of the burgers and grabbed a bun from the nearby bag.

After carousing the smorgasbord of food, I started for the back door.

"Wait." I heard Leah call behind me.

I stopped, turned to her, and leaned on the wall as I waited. Leah made her plate and found something I had neglected to pick up. Something to drink.

"Which of these is spiked?" Leah asked her cousin. "Knowing you drunkards one of these bowls is."

"What does it matter?" Emily returned to flipping sausage patties in her skillet. "All you wolves run a temperature so high that it burns the alcohol off before it takes effect."

"For Malakai." Leah said, sounding a annoyed. "He is underage." She rolled her eyes for dramatic effect.

"Oh yeah." Emily lightly tapped her fist on her forehead. "The one on the right is spiked with vodka."

"So, the one on the right for the kid?" Leah asked. Her voice was semi-drowned out by the blaring music from the other room.

"Yeah." Emily answered. She sat another patti in the cast iron.

Leah ladled two drinks from the non-alcoholic punch bowl. One for me, and one for her, I presumed. I was proven right when she walked over and put one of the red plastic cups into my hand. She opened the back door for me since I was having trouble balancing my plate in one hand, and punch in the other. It wasn't fair, Leah was so much better at everything.

We sat at a picnic table in the backyard. The grassy field looked light something from a movie. The sun setting, a bunch of overgrown men playing tackle football in the grass, the crickets beginning their nightly tune. It was nice.

"So. There's something you should know." Leah said, sipping her punch. "I'm not the safest person for you to be hanging around."

"Yeah," I mean seriously. No shit. But, I'm addicted now. Even if I wasn't, it's not like I have much worth living for. Vengeance. What a pitiful existence.

"You don't care?" It sounded like I intrigued Leah, which was a first. "I could end up getting you killed."

"Yeah," I shrugged. I popped a spoonful of pasta salad into my mouth.

"I could accidentally kill you. That wouldn't be the first time I've done something like that." Leah angled her head toward the grass. Her eyes full of hurt. They looked at nothing in particular. I was sure.

"Check this." I swallowed and squared my gaze on her.

Leah looked like she snapped out of her self-induced haze. She gave me her undivided attention.

"I died last month when my family was murdered." I played with a few strands of my hair. "I shouldn't have been able to walk away from that house, let alone run. I was the walking dead. Then, when I thought I was done for. I woke up in a house with a punch of pale faces." I laughed. It was a grim attempt at lifting the mood, I failed. "Then some sexy chick forces herself upon me." I inclined my head toward Leah.

She laughed. That one was genuine. She scratched her eyebrow sheepishly. "Whatever, you didn't exactly push me off."

"What fifteen year-old male in his right mind would?" I debated. I browsed my memory banks for any fifteen year-old boy who would. I couldn't. I took a huge bite from my burger while I deliberated further. Emily wasn't a half-bad cook.

"Heads!" Someone called from behind me. By the time I could whip my head around to see the imminent danger, Leah was already in the air, over my head, catching a wayward football that was traveling faster than it would have been in the NFL.

"Shit," I flinched away. Instincts, damnit. I wish I didn't do that in front of all these people. Where I'm from, flinching is a sign of weakness. Hopefully, that was not the case here.

I looked around for my cup. I downed the red juice within it. The cool liquid calmed me a little as it slid down my esophagus. I would need a refill sooner than later.

Then, I turned to see who the guy with the excellent aim was.

"Sorry Leah." It was Seth. He scratched the back of his head. "Think I can have that ball back?"

"Don't 'Sorry Leah,' me." I could see Leah was in big sister mode now. It was like she was scolding a child much taller than her. It was rather funny actually. "You could have killed him with that." Leah was waving her arms around shouting.

I guess I should do something, since this is all over my sake.

"Leah, it's cool." I tried to soothe her by patting her shoulder, but the motion was awkward because I had to reach above my head to do so.

"But he could have killed you." Leah said again, this time to me.

"Yeah," I mocked my retort to everything she said in our earlier conversation about death. "But I'm alive, so all is well. Just give 'em the ball so they can finish their game."

Leah stopped for a moment. She was probably deliberating her options, then handed the ball to Seth. Apparently, she had seen things my way. Good.

"Thanks Malakai." Seth flashed the peace sign and ran back to his game.

"So uh, I'm gunna go grab more punch, you want some?" I picked up my cup from the table.

"No, just come back after you get it." Leah shoveled some macaroni and cheese into her mouth. "I wanna ask you something."

I jogged back into the house, slowing into a brisk walking speed as I entered the kitchen. Sam and Emily were gone and the kitchen was empty. I guess Emily had finished cooking because the oven and stove eyes were off. I made my way to the table, and the two punch bowls.

Emily said the bowl on the right was safe, so I ladled some from that one. I raised my cup to my mouth and drank it slowly. Something about this punch was delicious. I really need to get the recipe from Emily. I downed the cup in three huge gulps.

Strangely, I was thirstier than I had been before I started. So I repeated the process again, and again. And again. I downed about four cups before I'd quenched my thirst. I filled my cup one more time for the road, and headed back to me and Leah's table.

I walked slowly on the way back. Or maybe everyone else was just moving fast, I'm not sure. When I was a few steps away from the table, I tripped over a ditch in the ground. I spilled my punch damnit. Whatever, I'm not going back.

I stood and brushed myself off. Then I finished my trip to the table.

"Sho Leah, schwat diyd yah wanna ashk meh?" I asked. Why was my speech all jumbled up like that. I didn't do anything to cause it. Or maybe that fall I took really did mess me up.

"Why are you talking like that?" Leah scrunched her brow and narrowed her gaze on me.

"Like thish? I don't know." I really don't know, but through my eyes, the world was so distorted. So distorted that the sky was green.

"Come here?" Leah asked.

I got up and walked around the table to her.

She put her face close to mine. For a second, I thought that she was going to kiss me in front of all these people. Then I heard the whiff of air going into her nose. Leah was sniffing me.

"Seriously?" Leah shook her head and set her face in her palm. "Malakai, are you drunk?"

Drunk? I didn't drink anything but that strangely delicious punch out of that obsurdly large plastic cup. "Why would I be? I only draaaank theh punsh."

Leah jumped up and grabbed my hand. She dragged me into the house again, through all the dancers and party-goers, to Emily and Sam. They were in Emily's bedroom, doing nothing I would hate to see, thank goodness. Sam sat on the bed and Emily was folding her apron in the closet.

"Em, you said for Malakai to drink from the punch bowl on the right. Right?" Leah said, still holding my hand. It was like she was afraid I would teeter totter and fall over if she let me go.

"Heavens no. I said the right one was spiked, and that he should drink from the left one." Emily laughed a little, then turned to us. Her eyes took in my sloppy posture and then it dawned on her. "Oh no."

"He'll live, but I think I should get him home." Leah pulled her cell phone from her pocket, flipped it open checking the time, then closed and replaced it. "I don't think he's ever been drunk before, he doesn't even know it."

"I'm..." The words just stopped forming in my mouth. Everything was inarticulate. Not being able to speak was killing me. Maybe I was drunk. That would explain why the world was rocking and why it was harder and harder for me to remain conscious.

"Yeah. That's what I thought." Leah waved her finger through the air, like a mother telling her child no. "I'm going to take him home so he can sleep some of this off. I'll talk to you guys lat-"

Okay, definitely drunk. Somehow, my feet moved themselves from under me, letting cruel, cruel gravity have its fun pulling this one to the ground. I think Leah caught me. If she did, it would be the third time today she's saved my face. After she caught me, my consciousness slipped shortly after.


	9. Merry Christmas

**A/N: This is to hold you guys over while I go through the lengthy process of college applications this week. I should have the next chapter up for you guys in two weeks. Sorry for it being so short, I wanted to get something out there for you guys to eat until next week or so.**

**Thanks for the reviews guys. They are much appreciated *does the happy dance*. One special thanks goes out to anonymous reviewer Victoria, for reminding me of an important detail I had neglected to add to the story (it's in this chapter now). Malakai's eyes are brown. Deep, chocolate-brown.**

**Thanks again guys. R&R,**

**Meech**

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After the party last night...I mean, after Malakai passed out yesterday, I had to take him somewhere. I definitely wasn't going to taking him back to the leeches. I don't think they would appreciate their newly-adopted, underage son being brought back to them drunk as hell. Not that I care what they think, I just wasn't up to dealing with the drama that surrounded that.

So, I brought him to _my _house and let him sleep in _my _room, in _my _bed; which is where he is now. Right next to me.

Malakai clung to me, like he did two nights ago. I thought that he was doing that because it was fucking freezing that night. Evidently, this was some kind of sleeping habit that he'd picked up sometime in his distressed life. Regardless, it wasn't such a bad thing. It was kind of cute actually. He looked so innocent sleeping. His hair mussed around his face, and his relaxed expression really worked wonders for him. Seeing him like this, I wouldn't believe that he was such a sarcastic, perverted kid, had I not been there to experience his wit myself.

I mean, sure, my mom was staying at Charlie's place. She had practically moved in a year or so after they were dating. She basically kept this house for me, and to give Seth a place to stay when he eventually gets tired of his bloodsucking friends.

However, I wasn't about to sleep with my...Boyfriend, in my mother's room. It just doesn't sit well with me. Especially since I don't ever go in there myself.

I huffed in exasperation as the morning light glinted off of Malakai's phone on the dresser. I removed the crap from his pockets and set it there the night before. That, was before I devised my plan to make him pay for making me skip out on Emily's Christmas Eve party.

I stripped him to his boxer's and white undershirt and layed him in bed. Then I sat a huge empty bottle of rum on the my white, wooden nightstand beside him. Since I was going all the way with this, I pulled off my sweater and jeans, and draped them over the chair that perfectly matched my other, white, wooden furniture.

Malakai hummed to himself. He was still sleeping, but he coughed a little. He shuffled around for a moment, drowsily trying to cover his mouth. Then, he tried to lay his head back on my arm, but I moved it, to cradle him closer to me. He jostled around and nuzzled his head against my side before he finally rested his head on my chest.

Normally, anyone else would never have made it into my room. They definitely wouldn't get the chance to sit on my bed, let alone sleep in it. And damn well wouldn't be there with me in it either. I would pulverise anyone who dared do what this kid does.

But this isn't normal. Like Jake said, imprinting really did bring out the best in me. Believe it or not, that idiot alpha of mine has something in his head aside from dusty mothballs.

Malakai's iPhone vibrated on my dresser across the room. That was the third time this morning. The first was around five am or so. It woke me, but I ignored it and went back to sleep. Considering he doesn't know anyone here, it was probably the little leech, Alice, trying to be the first one to wish her beloved little brother a Merry Christmas. Of course being around her bothered me, but she takes good care of Malakai, which makes her an invaluable asset. I can definitely use that when I'm out on patro-

What the hell?

I bristled at the small, damp, tingly feeling on my chest. I looked down only to see that it was Malakai. He was still sleeping, but he licked the same spot on my side, over and over again. I was so taken aback by it, I couldn't even define how it looked seeing his tongue caress some abstract point on my side.

It wasn't sensual, just weird.

After a few rounds, Malakai stopped being weird and layed still.

It was nearing ten, and I supposed I should take him to spend his first Christmas _as _a Cullen, _with _the Cullens.

I shoved Malakai lightly, just enough to wake he opened his eyes, I shut mine quickly, to make him think I was still sleeping.

He lifted his head from my bosom. He made some sort of squeal, then put his head back onto my chest. Obviously, he was going to try and take advantage of this _golden _moment.

I felt his hand traverse the length of my right thigh, upward to my stomach, and stop short of my breast.

You can't do it kid, even if I let you.

His hand trembled. "Shit." He muttered frustratedly and pulled his hand away, letting it plop onto the sheets beside him.

I opened my eyes, feigning drowsiness. I blinked twice, acting like I had just awoken, then looked at him. "Malakai, that was great."

"What?" His eyes widened. His chocolate brown irises shifted to the upper left corner of his eye socket.

I pressed my hand flat to his chest, drawing little circles on his collarbone. "You know," I said in a voice that was a little more than a whisper.

Malakai looked around the room. His eyes grew to the size of dinner plates when he spotted the empty rum bottle on the nightstand next to him. "No," He mumbled. "No way."

I nodded once, showing him more of my neck. Sure, I may not use my seductive powers, but I know they're there. I feel a little bad for the little guy, he didn't stand a chance.

His eyes began to water.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sitting straight up now. I let the sheet fall, revealing my sexy body again. This time, I won't punish him for looking. He's fifteen.

"I don't remember..." Tears welled up in his eyes. Malakai sniffled a little, reluctant to release them from their prison and allow them to flow freely.

"So?"

"That was...my...you know..." Malakai trailed off. He closed his eyes and scratched the side of his face.

"You were a virgin?!" I sounded appalled, but I actually wasn't surprised at all. Malakai didn't really strike me as the womanizing type of guy. I mean, he has trouble talking to me sometimes. "That explains all those strange noises you made. I wish I would have known that was your first time. I could have made you suffer a little more." I laughed.

Malakai's eyelids flew open. Some of the pent up tears sprinkled off of his eyelashes, into the air. A few of them hit my face.

Aww poor kid. I couldn't carry the joke any longer. That pitiful look on his face got to me damnit. His mouth pouted like he was sad, but his eyes were set like he was angry. The guilt set in and I opened my mouth to set things straight. "I'm kidding, you're still a virgin."

"What?" He pointed to his face, his mouth agape. The water in his eyes went back to wherever it came from.

"I can change that if you want." I flipped the sheets off of us and sat myself on his pelvis.

Malakai tried to sit up, but I simply grabbed his arms and forced them back onto the bed on opposite sides of his head. Being stronger than humans absolutely has its perks.

He struggled for a moment, but gave up when he saw that it was useless. He stayed put pinned under me. There wasn't much else he could do. Then his brown eyes roamed my body. It was inevitable, so I didn't try to prevent it. His face glowed red as he uncomfortably looked away.

I lowered my mouth to Malakai's ear and whispered. "This is for trying to feel me up earlier."

"You were awake?!" He shouted. Almost instantly, he began to sweat.

"Yeah, but you can live for today." I chuckled. "As long as you can manage that disturbance in your boxers."

He face went from rouge to a deep burgundy. He nodded. "Well, will you let me up?"

"Yeah, you have to get dressed so I can take you home. Alice would be so sad if you missed Christmas." I rolled off of him, onto my back, and spread out on the bed.

"That's today?" He asked, pulling his torso upward.

"Yeah," Surely he couldn't have forgotten that today was Christmas. "What did you think that party yesterday was for?"

"I dunno," He answered, picking up the towel at the foot of the bed, I had put there for him last night. "Your birthday?" He asked.

"Try March Twelvth. And I want a Bently." I reached over and pulled the covers over me. Not because I was could, but because it was becoming more and more difficult for Malakai to speak with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. "Go, I'll be ready when you get back."


	10. Vengeance and Redemption

**A/N: I was able to get this chapter out a little sooner than I thought I would. I finished the college application process rather quickly. I got a few applications out, but I'm still working on one for Duke University and Dartmouth. So I'm unsure about the release of my next chapter. **

**Overall, this was a fun chapter to write. Sorry if it's a little too long. I had to fit a lot of information into this one. **

**Well, hope you guys like it. You're one of the main reasons I haven't returned to the Full Metal Panic! Archives. Well, that and the fact that Malakai is totally awesome. Lol.**

**I'm done rambling now. Read and Review...Or the teddy gets it! (and you know what it is...),**

**Meech**

* * *

Bella's red Ferrari slowed to a stop in the Cullen's Christmas-snow covered driveway. Leah and I trudged through the fresh, white powder, toward the door.

I reached for the doorknob and opened the door for Leah. She walked in and disappeared around a corner. I strode in. When I closed the door I was ambushed with a:

"Merry Christmas!" From everyone in the family. They all shouted excitedly. Even Rosalie, who no doubt, thought I sucked more than a cheap whore.

She sat next to Emmett on the third stair from the bottom of the staircase. Esme and Carlisle stood in the hall, blocking the way to the kitchen, both smiling radiantly at me. Jake leaned against the wall with little Renesmee sitting on his shoulders beaming happily. As for Bella and Edward, they were cuddled up against each other next to the stairs. Leah took her place in the back of the...Of my family, smiling the smile that let me know something was on her mind.

Edwards eyes flicked to Leah, substantiating my assumption.

"How come everyone is so happy to see me?" I asked. I wasn't trying to kill the mood. I just wasn't used to anyone aside from my mom, taking that much interest in me. "Oh yeah, Merry Christmas." I said as I removed my arms from the too large coat Leah heavily insisted that I wear out into the cold.

"Because we can give you presents." Rosalie said.

I can't believe she's said more than two words to me that weren't full of hate. Hell, more than two words to me at all. The most I've gotten out of her was a murderous glance or a superhuman shove. I wonder, has she gotten into the alcohol already?

Edward laughed. "No, Rose hasn't been drinking." He said. He was obviously in my thoughts. "You and everyone else's." He admitted pridefully.

Emmett was next to make some humored noises. "Another sense of humor in this place is what we needed. Thank you Kai." Emmett sprang to his feet, throwing his arms into the air in celebration.

Rosalie disappeared. In the next instant, I felt a cold wind breeze behind me. Before I could turn around, a slender, pale-white, cold arm wrapped itself around my neck. Some perfect blond hair fell into my face as she straightened my posture.

"It's not that I didn't like you." Rosalie said from behind me. "Just that I was disagreeing with Carlisle's methods. If we changed you now," She bared her fangs to my neck. "We wouldn't be in any danger."

I studied Leah's calm, sitting on the couch. I guess since Edward was perfectly relaxed, Rosalie wasn't actually going to bite me, and Leah knew that as well. Seeing how Carlisle was so against changing people who had another choice...

"Not that we are." Rosalie released me and went into the kitchen.

"Very observant little brother." Edward clapped his hands. "Malakai has some deductive prowess."

"Really?" Carlisle chimed in. "How so?"

"He didn't take Rose's intimidation seriously." Edward informed Carlisle, and everyone else in the room. "Because you don't like changing people who have another choice, and that I was perfectly calm, reading everyone's thoughts in the room." He gently patted Bella's shoulder. "He knows that I would have been pushing Rose off of him and you would have been right beside me."

"Good work son." Carlisle nodded his head at me as Rosalie returned from the kitchen.

"Thanks," I said. "But, that's all I'm saying thanks for because I refuse to accept any presents." I steadied my stance as I hung the over-sized snow coat on wooden coat tree that stood next to the door.

"Awww, please?" Renesmee chirped from Jake's shoulders. "Everyone else already has everything they want, so we never get to give presents." She pouted and rested her head on her hands in disappointment.

"Don't kill her fun, just take the presents." Jake said, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

It's pitiful really. Whenever an innocent child, or pretty woman needs me to do something, nine times out of ten, I'll do it. The one time I wouldn't, I would probably be terminally ill, and even then, I'd try. Maybe I'm weak willed, or maybe I'm not as much of a bad person as I thought.

"I think it's option number two." Edward answered my thoughts again.

"Dam-" I had to be more careful of my words around my new parents. "Dang!" I corrected. "Doesn't that get annoying?"

"What? Edward answering your thoughts?" Rosalie asked from the living room.

"Yeah."

"You learn to ignore it." Emmett said. "Where's Alice anyway? So we can give the kid his gifts." He said, changing the subject.

"She and Jasper are outside." Edward nodded at the door. "See Kai, mind reading is useful." He picked up on my new nickname.

"Yeah, whatever." I shrugged.

The door opened behind me, and the wind that caressed my neck made me grateful for the coat Leah forced me to wear on the way over here. Then I was hit by something fast, and knocked from my feet. Instead of falling, I was suspended midair, and being spun around in circles.

"Merry Christmas little bro!" Alice sang as she spun me around. "Didn't you get my texts?" She let me down.

Jasper walked in shortly after. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," I answered as I pulled my new iPhone from my pocket. I tapped the screen to illuminate it, then slid my finger across the bottom to unlock it. I saw the notification that I had three text messages from Alice. I tapped the touchscreen again and thumbed through the texts, each of them said _Merry Christmas_ in one way or another. I looked at Alice and shrugged. "Sorry."

"It's alright," Alice turned her head to Rose. "Rose!" She whined. "I thought I told you to call me right when they got here, if they made it back before me." Then she poked a finger to my temple. "And not being able to see your future is very inconvenient."

"I called you like two minutes after Kai and Leah stepped through the door." Rose answered in defense.

"Whatever," Alice shrugged again, then rubbed my back and stopped with a slap. "Present time!" Alice really was too happy about this. She bounced around the room without a care in the world. She went to the mantle above the fireplace and removed a box from a container cleverly disguised as a black cat head. How _ironic._

I sighed heavily and scanned the room. Everyone there looked happy. One smile that stood out from the rest, was Renesmee's. She beamed brightly when she discovered that I'd surrendered my adverseness to accepting presents today.

Of course, Leah's smile stood out to me as well. Her porcelain white teeth gleamed brightly against the contrast of her sorrel skin. Her black, short-sleeved shirt, balanced the two colors perfectly, in my eyes anyway. Then again, beauty _is_ in the eye of the beholder.

"Rose," Alice's butterscotch eyes darted from the box in her hand, to me, and finally, to Rosalie. "Give him your present first."

"Okay," Rosalie stood, then blurred with speed. She practically flew up the stairs, and back down again. She stood in front of me holding a medium-sized box, wrapped in green and red wrapping paper. "Here."

I took the box from her and delicately tore the wrapping paper from it. I guessed I was taking too when Rose took the box from me, tore tre rest off, then shoved the concealed item into my chest. I caught it and held it in front of me, to get a good look at it.

It was a pair of Skullcandy headphones. Exactly the ones I was going to order; the white fur T.I. Model DJ headphones. That's awesome, now I could ditch those uncomfortable iPhone ear buds, and do it in style. I wonder how she knew the exact model...Edward.

"Guilty as charged." Edward grinned.

I shook my head, then scratched my cheek nervously. "Thanks Rose." I set the headphones around my neck and let the cord hang loose, into my pocket, where my iPhone's jack was anxiously waiting. The fur that lined the inside of the headphones was warmer than I expected it to be.

Then Renesmee leaped from Jake's shoulders. She landed on the floor with a soft thud, and walked over to the couch. She dropped to her hands and knees, and lowered her head to the ground, so she could see under the couch. Her arm trailed under the couch for a moment, then she pulled it out, smiling exuberantly at me.

I smiled back and knelt down. After all, she was the only reason I was doing this without any drama.

Renesmee ran up to me, clutching a piece of paper with her name on it. She held it in front of my face, then turned it around to reveal an intricate drawing of the family, complete with Malakai off on the side, and Leah right beside me. It was amazing how lifelike the drawing was. There was no way a child should be able to draw anything like this, vampire or not.

"I wanted to draw the first family portrait with our new brother," Renesmee's high toned voice said. "I worked all night on it. I want you to have it."

I took the paper from her widemouthed. All I could think was wow. A seven year old girl drew this? I studied the picture, then I glanced at Renesmee. Her smile was still in full effect. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

"You like it?" Renesmee looked like she was about to burst from excitement.

I nodded once.

Renesmee squealed and ran toward me, wrapping her arms around my neck, in a hug. For a moment, I felt good about making this little girl happy on Christmas day. The next moment, I realized that my lungs weren't getting any air because my internal airway was being crushed by the hybrid vampire showing her gratitude.

I flailed my arms for a few seconds, and Jake rushed over to pull Renesmee off of me. I clutched my neck, coughing and gasping for air. When I was finally able to regain my composure, I stood upright and bowed my head to the girl.

"Sorry," Renesmee appologized, looking away. She was embarressed by the looks of it.

"No worries." I assured her. "I'm still alive. No permanent damage done. So don't worry about it."

"My turn!" Alice bounced across the room, holding the small box she grabbed earlier. "But first, Esme and Carlisle want you to have this." She reached into her black, leather purse, extracted her wallet. Then procured a black piece of plastic. She placed it in my hand.

I examined it closely. On the front of it were the words, _American Express._ Where the card holder's name was listed, it read _Malakai Cullen, _etched in silver letters.

I shifted my eyes to my mother and father sitting on the loveseat. Esme layed her head on Carlisle's shoulder and they both exhibited signs of happiness.

"I hope you don't mind that I broke it in." Alice put her wallet back into her purse and hung it on the coat tree next to the coat Leah wanted me to wear.

"On what?" I felt my eyebrows furrow in curiosity. "And how much?"

"One question at a time." Alice laughed. Then pushed the hand holding my new credit card into my right pocket. "Come with me and you'll see." She covered my eyes with her cold hands. I bristled away for a second, then my skin was momentarily immune to the frigid temperature of her hands. "And this is from the whole family. We just used your card. Don't worry. Carlisle paid for it."

Alice led me through the house, by covering my eyes with one of her hands, and pushing my back with the other. It was unnerving not being able to see where I was going. For all I know, I could be falling over the edge of oblivion. Or, at the very least, crashing face first into a wall. I heard the taps against the hardwood floor, so the family was probably following Alice and I.

I heard a door creak open and Alice pulled her hand from my face. My eyes needed a moment to adjust to the light, then I was able to see.

A black roadster was parked in front of me. I had to blink a few times, to completely register the giant, red bow that adorned the top of the car.

I jogged around the car, to see exactly what it was. Not that I didn't already, more so for the belief aspect I was having trouble with. When I finished my walk around, one thing was for certain. This was a 2009 Cadillac XLR. Not just any Cadillac XLR, the V-series XLR.

I could try and ask who's it was, but if Alice told me it was mine, I would cry. Not because I didn't want it, but because I have to wait a whole year before I could drive it. I don't think I can wait that long. The black leather bucket seats were calling my name.

Alice poked my cheek. "So, what do you think?"

"Um, it's nice, buh uh." I trailed off, as I knelt to finger the nineteen inch chrome wheels. "I can't drive this. Who will?"

"Leah," Alice answered. "Not that Bella wants her Ferrari back. Carlisle just thought it would be easier if you had your own wheels."

"True." Carlisle confirmed. Then he let his gaze drift off into the forest.

"Thanks?" I said. I tried to sound as monotone as I could, but it was difficult. Truth was, I couldn't wait to get into the passenger's seat of that beautiful piece of machinery. Much rather drive it, but I'll count my blessings now.

One, I'm still alive. Two, my girlfriend is awesome. Three, I have a family to care for me, and I for them.

Not too bad an existence.

When I opened the door, my stomach growled loudly. It was then I realized that I didn't eat breakfast.

"Oh," Esme loosed a sigh and tapped her fingertips. "I'm sorry Kai, in all the excitement I forgot that you, Leah, and Jacob would be hungry."

"No worries, I'll live." I told her.

"I'll go inside and prepare breakfast." Esme started for the door.

"No, it's okay Esme." Leah said kindly. Which for her, was saying a lot. What I noticed, was that Leah didn't really like any of the Cullen's, why, I would never know. "My mom cooked a huge brunch for Seth and Charlie. Malakai and I can go eat over there."

"Are you sure?" Esme swivled around in the snow.

"Yeah, I still haven't seen my mom today so..." Leah tapped her hand on the black gloss paint of the XLR. "Plus we can break this thing in on the way."

"Great idea." Esme clapped her hands together. "So, We'll see Kai later tonight. Right?"

"Yeah." Leah smiled and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Unless you have _other _plans with my bro." Emmett rolled his eyes. Surely, he had already devised some possible sexual escapades for Leah and myself to possibly enjoy. I would have to take him up on that later...

Edward raised a hand to his face to stifle his chuckle. So he heard me.

Alice tossed the keys to Leah over the car.

Leah caught them, and pressed the unlock button. The doors clicked. Leah opened hers and entered the car.

"Oh, Kai, Tell my dad that I'll bring Edward and Renesmee over later." Bella waved as I got into the car.

I nodded my head once.

"Bye Kai." Renesmee chirped from her perch on Jake's shoulders.

I flashed the peace sign and smiled to her and closed the door.

I looked at Leah, only to see that she was already watching me. My face flushed and I twiddled my thumbs nervously. The way her almond shaped eyes pierced me was always unfair. They were instant, thought-stopping power.

Leah pressed the ignition button and the engine purred quietly. She tapped the clutch and moved the stick shift into the reverse tapped the gas and we were propelled backward. She let off the gas, and shifted into first as she yanked the steering wheel to the right and the car swung around, losing minimal momentum. She hit the gas again and we were gone.

Along the way, I removed the user manual from the glovebox, and read it. Apparently, the neon blue heads up display wasn't a hologram. It was just being projected onto the windshield.

"Kai?" Leah asked. "Since that's what people are calling you. And Malakai is a mouthful."

"I'd prefer baby, honey, or your Highness." I smiled wryly at her. "But Kai will do."

"Haha," Leah faked a laugh. "Very funny."

"I try."

"So, don't you wanna know what I got you?" Leah gripped the steering wheel lightly as she turned right.

"Now I'm curious." I thumbed through the four-page table of contents in the owner's manual.

Leah leaned over and whispered seductively into my ear. "You can have me tonight."

If there was any two things that Leah was good at. One was looking pretty. The other was knowing how to get this puberty plagued, hormonally driven teenager's blood pressure to rise.

I stayed quiet and fumbled with the manual in my hands. There was no use in trying to read it anymore. The information would go in one ear and out the other, right now anyway.

Then my heart literally skipped a beat. Leah took a nibble on my earlobe.

I did nothing. What could I have done? I was frozen in awe. It was silent for a few seconds.

Then Leah broke the silence with a laugh that reverberated throughout the car. "That innocence." She brought up the conversation we had yesterday as she slowed the car to a stop and put it in park.

"Whatever." I sounded haphazardly angry.

"Here we are. Charlie's place." Leah opened her door and got out, stretching.

I did the same.

Leah jogged up to the tattered wooden stairs that led to the front door. She leaped up all three of them with one bound and knocked lightly on the door. Then she pointed at me gestured for me to do the same.

I ran full speed at the stairs and launched myself upward and forward, barely clearing the third step.

Leah nodded approval.

Then the door creaked open and a slender Quilute woman ushered Leah in. "Leah. You came for Christmas." She sounded happy. "And this is?" She was asking about me.

"Malakai Ulf-" Oops. I almost used my old name. I'd have to ger used to the way Culled flowed from my lips. I'd have to make it come out as naturally as Ulfang. "Malakai Cullen. You can call me Kai."

"Nice to meet you Kai." She extended her hand. "I'm Susan Clearwater. And _you_ can call me Sue."

I shook it. "Thank you Miss Clearwater."

"Wait." Sue's head turned to Leah, then back to me. "Come in, I was just about to serve lunch. Would you like some?"

"If it isn't too much trouble." I said and stepped inside.

Sue led me through the family room, and into the four person kitchen. She swept her hand toward a metal folding chair. "You can sit if you like."

I sat, because I liked.

Leah pulled up a chair and Sue went to the oven. She pulled out a honey baked ham that smelled absolutely delicious. She sliced the ham and carried it over to the table, setting it down.

"So Leah, is this him?" Sue finally said. She passed a glance in my direction.

"Yep," Leah smiled. "All one-hundred-fifty pounds."

Sue pulled a few other dishes from the stove and oven. One was a bowl of citrus smelling string beans. The other was a bowl of garlic mashed potatoes. She set them both on the table. "Now we wait for Charlie." She directed the next question to me. "How do you put up with my daughter?"

"Mom!" Leah yelled in a raised tone.

Sue lifted a finger shushing her.

I blushed again. Thinking of our car trip over here, and the morning before we arrived at the Cullen's. Fun times, very fun times. "Truthfully, I don't know."

"Leah," Susan studied my flustered expression. "What have you been doing to this innocent young man?"

I grimaced and Leah laughed.

"What?" Sue looked like she thought she had done something wrong.

"I rest my case." Leah ignored her mother, hitting me with the checkmate in our innocent argument. "Just a little insider, mom. Nothing to worry about." Leah answered.

"Kai, if she gives you a hard time," Sue began.

Little did she know, the time wasn't the only thing around here hard. Oh wow. I'm glad Edward wasn't around to hear that one.

"Let me know. I'll set her straight." Sue flexed her bicep. Then mimicked a punching motion and raised her fist to her eyes, all the while, pointing at Leah.

"Yeah right." Leah rested her palms on the table.

Sue put her hand to my ear, blocking Leah's sight there, and drew her head close to mine. "Some of the things she's told me, you wouldn't believe."

I thought she was referring to Leah's whole, I'm-a-shapeshifter, bit. "Really?"

"Don't let her get her hands on your virtue. Heavens knows that after she's done with you, you may not even be able to speak English."

This time Leah was flustered. "Mom! You make me sound like a whore." Her face grew red.

For once, I was the sane one. Err, not anymore, I just thought about what Sue said. I blushed as well.

"Just saying that you're experienced." Sue stood again and walked back into the kitchenette, smiling.

"It was just with Sam." Leah defended. She was still on the ropes.

Sue had skills when it came to handling the she-wolf sitting across from me. I definitely need to get some pointers from her.

"Just saying." Sue sang.

I coughed uncomfortably.

I heard the tapping of shoes against the linoleum floor. I looked up. To my surprise, there was a fairly fit, middle-aged man with a cowlick in his hair, and mustache freshly trimmed, dressed in a Forks cop uniform. He looked at me and Leah and nodded a hello. "Leah. Long time."

Sue went to the cupboard to gather some plates and glasses for the table. Then, she carried them back and sat down. "Lunch is ready."

"Thanks Sue." Charlie pulled a chair out and sat in it, across from me. "Sorry about not having Christmas off. You know how it is around this time of year." Charlie scooped some potatoes, followed by string beans and the ham, onto his plate. "Is this one of your friends Leah?" He was obviously referring to me because I was the only one here he wasn't familiar with.

"This is Leah's _boyfriend, _Malakai_._" Sue teased.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Chief Swan, or Charlie. Whatever you prefer." He had a perplexed expression on his face. "How old are you son?"

"Fifteen." I answered truthfully.

Charlie shot his dark brown eyes from me, to Leah. "Little young? Or is that just how you like 'em Leah?"

"Need to know. Charlie." Leah gave herself a generous helping of food onto her plate. She looked agitated from the question. Well, this was the second time in two days someone accused her of being a cradle robber.

"Ah," Charlie shook his head, shoveling a huge forkful of ham into his mouth.

"Mom, where's Seth?" Leah asked. She nibbled on the string bean at the end of her fork.

"He just left here for the Cullen's about ten minutes ago."

"Ah." Leah finished the vegetable, and moved on to her potatoes.

I sat silently and enjoyed the marvelous food Sue had prepared. The ham was fulfilling, the Green beans were healthy, and the potatoes were a treat in themselves. It was heaven in my mouth. I marveled at the intricacies of cooking; an activity that I was never any good at.

"How's the food Kai?" Sue averted her gaze to my blissful smile.

"Great." I answered. "I don't really know the words to describe how awesome it tastes." I smiled as I complimented her. "Really." I said again. Say it with me now. Re-dun-dant.

"Leah doesn't cook for you?" Sue squinted at Leah, causing her to innocently look away. "I taught her everything she knows."

"Nope."

"Really?" Sue asked again for clarification.

"Mom, wait." Leah began. "It's not my fault. He's always asleep for crying out loud."

Sue raised an eyebrow in Leah's direction.

"It's true! I mean, hell, he's passing out at the end of every chapter so..." Leah defended. (Fourth wall has been broken. Mwahaha.)

"Cook something for him tonight." Sue suggested, slicing the ham on her plate into smaller, more managable pieces.

"Umm," Leah pressed a finger to her chin. I'm not sure, but I think she was racking her brain for an excuse. "I didn't take anything out." Bingo.

"No problem, I brought some groceries over to the house this morning." Sue said. "They're in the fridge, so you should be all set."

"Okay." Leah finally agreed to her mother's request, grudgingly.

For the next thirty or so minutes, I stuffed myself and leaned back, into my seat. After Leah had completed her three full helpings of the feast, we left Charlie's to return to La Push.

* * *

We finally arrived at First Beach twenty minutes later. She turned off the car engine, and let the radio play its Christmas music quietly.

Leah touched her warm hand to mine. "Wanna go out for a walk?"

"Sure," We opened our car doors, exited, then closed them. I jogged around the car, to Leah's side.

Leah scooped me up into her arms. "I wanna show you something. It's faster this way." She said, noticing the goosebumps on my arms from the cold. She hugged me a little closer. "It'll be quick."

Leah sprang from the top of the stony path, down to the bottom. It felt like we were flying. She landed with a small tap and hit the ground full speed ahead. Leah strode down the beach, easily, even with my added weight in her arms. "Just a little longer." Leah said as the loped down the beach. She moved easily, even with my added weight on her arms. Then her gaze shot to the right. She stopped abruptly, dizzying me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, working on regaining my sense of balance. I looked straight ahead and recognized the problem.

That old Brazilian guy from yesterday stood in front of us. His black cloak billowing menacingly in the frozen Christmas breeze. He smiled at me wickedly. "I thought I warned you not to smell so delicious then next time I saw you." He said.

Leah positioned herself in front of me, between myself and the man. A defensive precaution should something jump off. "Don't make me do this." Leah threatened. I have never heard her sound like this. Sure she has her moods around the Cullens. But, I've never heard so much warning come from so few words.

"It's going to happen." He said in his Spanish accent. "Do you want to take off your clothes before you phase? Not that you'll be changing back alive. I just wouldn't mind seeing that beautiful body of yours in its entirety."

The perverseness of the statement pissed me off more than the death threat weaved into it. Probably because I knew that the man was no match for Leah. She was _my Leah, _and no one disrespects her like that. I don't care if you can shapeshift into a fucking giant duck-billed platypus. Do it and I'll do something detrimental to your health. I promise.

Lead didn't move for a moment. Then she unbuttoned her pants, took them off, and set them onto the sand. Then she began to shake violently.

The soon-to-be assailant untied his cloak and threw it to the ground beside him. He was completely nude. He also began to tremble quickly.

Then, they both exploded. For a second, they were nowhere to be found. Gone. They reappeared, seemingly ready for battle. Leah in her charcoal wolf form, teeth bared, still stood between me and...Me and...The Lycan?

The Spaniard stood with his back arched, poised for attack. There was something familiar about this guy. The way his ears unnaturally twitched every few seconds. That crescent-moon shaped patch of light gray fur that was distinctive from his russet fur.

No way. No fucking way. This guy was at my house the day my parents were murdered. I always thought someone was following me as I fled my home in search of vengeance and redemption.

My chance at both are here and I'm powerless to seize it.

Or am I?


	11. Mom!

**Author's Note: **

**Hey People,**

**First off, HOORAY 40 Reviews! Keep them coming. I check my email like I have OCD, waiting for review notifications. So please, don't make me feel like an idiot, sitting around the computer all day lol.**

**Another chapter out, another few people I made happy. That's how I see it anyway. I was kind of angry when I wrote this due to real-life issues. So, I think that affected the writing in this chapter. Not that its bad. It's just a little different than I'm accustomed to writing.**

**So, the plot begins. The first Arc of the story is underway. Malakai may be a too serious for the next few chapters. Lol, lies. Malakai, serious; WTH.**

**Read and Review,**

**Meech**

* * *

The beach was quietly taking witness to this soon-to-be battle. It was completely silent, as if hushed to see and hear the first blows of the fight. The air around me tasted stale, even though there was a strong ocean breeze that whistled around me. In the tension, I thought I could feel every grain of sand beneath my feet move independently.

Leah, and the Brazilian man, who I've taken to calling Pendejo, both stayed completely still in the cold rushing wind. Their gazes were unfaltering. They didn't break at all, both were poised for battle, and waiting for the first one to lose their focus.

Who ever was first to lose it, would die.

It was now that I began to fear for Leah's life more than my own.

Apparently, Pendejo grew impatient and dashed at Leah. Every step he took in that split second was ugly, drunken. Maybe that was how he faught.

Leah easily dodged him by jumping to the right.

He turned and stood on all fours, before launching himself at her again. Pendejo jumped and took a swipe at Leah with his scythe-like claws.

Leah avoided the first swing. Before the second could form into a threatening attack, she ran at him. She wrapped her teeth around his arm and lurched backward.

The movement was so quick that I couldn't register it as it happened. When my slow eyes finally caught up, there was a silhouette in the gray sky. I studied it as it fell to the earth. It was Pendejo's claw.

Pendejo yelped as he raised his muzzle to the sky. He narrowed his gaze on me soon after. There was fear in his eyes. Fear that this victory would not come as easily fought as the victory over my mother. He finally saw that when the tables were even, he stood no chance.

Or so I thought.

I examined his eyes again. They were full of fury. Completely predictable fury. The way he looked at me, his glare said, _you're going down with me_.

He loped at full speed toward Leah. He stabbed his remaining right claw into the sand. Then lifted the rest of his body so he slid through it. He loosed a lightening fast kick at Leah and she avoided it by flattening her body to the ground.

Well, I saw that coming.

Pendejo didn't intend to hit Leah with that kick. It was only a diversion. He continued to slide through the sand at me. Before he lost too much momentum, he took his claw from the sand and loped on all fours.

Leah raced after him.

I stood my ground and prepared for my shot at the bastard. I clenched my fist and kept my eyes peeled as Pendejo bounded in my direction. When he was about ten feet away from me I accounted for his average speed and threw the strongest, fastest, straightest punch I could muster.

Pendejo was simply too quick. He contorted his body so that his back slid along my arm letting his head rest on my shoulder. He growled into my ear.

I wasn't prepared for what happened next.

Pendejo opened his mouth and bit from my shoulder, down to my bicep.

That instant, I suffered immeasurable pain. My knees buckled and I fell to the soft, white sand headfirst. I yelled in agony from the fresh lacerations that almost covered the entirety of my right arm. It felt like it was set ablaze by the sun itself. I gripped it and rolled in the sand like they teach you in fire safety classes, trying to extinguish it. Of course, that did nothing to better my situation.

Pendejo managed to gather a sloppy grin in my face before Leah tackled him off of me.

I didn't bother trying to watch the fight anymore. All I could hear were growls and sounds of impact. I wasn't sure if I could live through this bite.

It felt like he injected...A venom? And that it was spreading throughout my body with every beat of my racing heart. I began sweating bullets and my breathing grew haggard. With every blink, it was more and more difficult to force my eyelids back up again. There were black spots in my vision that grew with every blink as well.

_Leah, I'm sorry. _Was my last thought before I succumbed to the darkness.

* * *

_Was I dead?_

_Everything was white. I was surrounded entirely by a blank abyss. _

_Then I could see a familiar person walking into view. Red and brown beads adorned her straight, white hair. Her deep brown eyes looked at me expectantly. She was clad in light tan suede from head to toe. She waved and appeared in front of me._

_"Mom." I said, throwing my arms around her._

_She returned the embrace._

_I sobbed quietly, my shoulders bouncing with each one._

_"There, there." She soothed in her honey voice. "You'll be alright."_

_When I finally deemed myself strong enough to stand on my own, I took a step backward, removing my arms. I sniffled and smiled. _

_I asked the question I'd been silently asking myself for the whole three minutes I've been in this white nothingness. "Am I dead?"_

_This time my mother laughed and shook her head. "No."_

_"Then?" I asked. I was confused. How could I not be dead, but speak with the deceased?_

_"Well, I thought that you would learn to transform by now." Mom sounded a little disappointed in me. She shrugged it off. "I don't know how that venom will affect you though."_

_"Transform into what?" I cocked my head sideways like I used to do when I was younger and couldn't understand why people didn't like me._

_"I sent that owl hoping I could smack some sense into you. The owl is the creature of wisdom in our culture." She laughed again, her musical laughter was a sound I couldn't allow myself to forget. Ever. "Leopard." She answered in one word._

_"So that means I can-"_

_"Could," Mom interrupted. She twirled one of the groups of hair that was weighted with beads. "I'm not sure what you do now. That lycan bit you and injected some poison."_

_"Will I die?" Yet another question escaped my trembling lips._

_"No, not yet." She rested her warm palms on my shoulder. "I don't want that and I'm sure Leah wouldn't either." She narrowed her gaze, smiling wickedly._

_"Oh um, yeah. I was meaning to tell you." I trailed off, thinking of some bull shit excuse to tell my mom to make her laugh again. "But there's that whole you being dead thing and I think heaven is a long distance call. So..."_

_"You and your sarcasm." She smiled wryly. "I miss it. Your father tries to do it." She shook her head. "But no one does it as good as you."_

_"Dad's with you?"_

_"Yeah." Then mom widened her eyes in surprise. She chewed on her fingernail, a habit she picked up dealing with the nervousness of having an outcast, lonely child. "Something's changed. Your girlfriend is losing now."_

_"Shit." I cursed._

_Mom hit me with her index and middle fingers together, on my forehead. "Language."_

_"Sorry."_

_"Okay, how about this," she began. "I'll use your body to save the day and you take all the credit?"_

_"You can use my body to save the day." I started. "But I'll give you all the credit."_

_"In any event, we need to save her." Mom said._

_That instant, the world around me blurred into view. Everything was still colorless, but now had black outlines. It was kind of like an artists sketch book. Over the next thirty seconds, the color was returning to everything. I watched the sea go from white, to periwinkle, to light blue, to finally remain constant at its natural cerulean._

What my mother told me had finally sunk in. I needed to save Leah. I stayed on my back, turning my head slowly as not to attract attention to myself. From the corner of my right eye I could see Pendejo hunched over Leah's wolven form.

_There she is. Now just watch and learn. _My mother's voice invaded my thoughts.

_Mom? I thought you were gone. You should stop playing with my emotions like that._

_Shh. _She said.

The next thing I knew my entire body was trembling violently. It felt like my soul was leaving its body. Spectating. But I could still feel everything, and saw through my own eyes. My body shook more and more violently. I raised an arm to wipe the sweat that was forming above my brow.

_Stop, and let me do this. _My mother's voice chided. My hands undid the buttons of my shirt and pulled it off. Then my pants and undergarments were next.

Then, my body exploded. Then next moment, I was on all fours. Where my hands should have been were paws covered in white fur. I had claws that were razor sharp at the ends of them. My body stood, but I wasn't the one who willed it to do so. I could only come to one conclusion.

I was being possessed by my mother. Great. I hope she can't delve into my brain or memories.

_Why is this form so difficult to maintain? Your body is practically begging to change again. _Mother asked.

Again? Into what exactly?

I...We, My mother and I, stalked up to Pendejo's back side from twenty feet away.

He was struggling to keep Leah pinned beneath him. She squirmed voraciously, but to no avail. Her huge horse-sized body was rendered useless by the man-sized assailant.

A battle roar was loosed from my mouth and my right paw slashed at his exposed back. Pendejo's tried to say something, but it was difficult to understand seeing how his head slid clear off his shoulders. The canine-esque head sat in the sand, motionless and ugly as it had been attached to his neck.

_He's done. The bastard. _Mom said.

_Language._ I mimicked her scrutinizing tone from earlier.

_Well, This will be the last time we speak for a while. I love you son. _Then her voice was gone and I reverted back into my lame, human self.

_Mom?_

_Nothing._

_Mom?_

_Nothing._

"Mom?!" I shouted. I split the silence that now covered the beach.

Leah looked up at me through her huge wolf eyes. She stayed completely still, then nudged me, telling me to stay still. She licked my cheek and walked behind me.

I felt the rush of wind that wasn't the ocean breeze. A gust that strong around here, could only have been her returning to her human form. I heard her feet hitting the sand behind me. I didn't bother checking to see what she was doing. I knew that she would be naked after she phased back into her human form, and would be a little peeved if I took a peek.

Leah tossed my clothes to me and I slipped them back on. She kept my shirt for obvious reasons.

"So, how do you feel?" Leah sat in the sand next to me.

"Like any guy who was just possessed by his dead mother's spirit, transformed into a giant snow leopard, and saved the day." I answered sarcastically.

"Your mom did that?" Leah put her palms into the sand and twisted her body toward me.

"Yeah."

"Is she still in control?" She asked.

"Nope. I'm free to fondle you all I want." I said with a smile. I held my hands in front of me, groping the air.

"Yeah, and I'm free to break your arms too." Leah shot back. She was playing, but I was sure she could make good on her threat. "Do you think you can do that again?"

"What does it turn you on?" It seems that I'm always sarcastic when I've gone through a difficult experience. Anyway, I groped the air again.

"Not that fool." Leah shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Can you phase again?"

"Oh yeah," I cleared my throat. "Um, I dunno. How do you do it?"

"Focus on exploding. Get all of your energy into your core, then let it burst." Leah explained.

I did exactly as she said. I closed my eyes, and focused on rerouting any energy I had into my center. I tried exploding, but it didn't work. I tried thinking of every explosion I had seen for a little inspiration. Still nothing. My arms were shaking a little, but that was because of all the added strain I was giving my heart trying to explode. Finally, I gave up.

"Nothing," I shrugged. I wiped the sweat from my arms on my pants. "I feel a little light headed though."

"Oh shit!" Leah shouted. She reached for my arm. "Let me see that bite."

I glanced down at where I had gotten bitten. There was nothing. Not even a scar for evidence.

"You healed?" Leah sounded shocked. She held up my arm to examine it from every angle she could. "Your mom?"

"Hey hey," I pretended I was offended. "Keep my mother out of this."

"Shut up. You're going to Dr. Fang." Leah jumped to her feet, then she snatched me up. "We need to make sure you're okay."

* * *

"What?!" Carlisle exclaimed as he checked the arm Leah told him. "There's nothing here." He swung me around checking the rest of my un-shirted torso. "And you feel okay?"

"Yeah."

The entire family crowded around me when we made it in. Alice was outraged that some werewolf scum hurt her brother. I could tell Jasper was trying to calm her down, but, Alice is Alice. She was pissed either way. Edward was quiet in thought in back. Esme stood on my side opposite of Leah to try and soothe me. Jacob and Renesmee weren't here, I guessed they had gone out to hang out or something. Rosalie actually looked concerned with her fingertip in her mouth. Emmett was resilient as ever, still giving me hell with his jokes.

"Well," Carlisle began. "I can draw some blood to check for venom, but there's no apparent sign of it."

"I think I'll be alri-"

"Do it." Leah answered for me. She was still wearing my tee shirt from the beach. It looked like a midriff shirt on her. It was way too small, but it had something about it that I liked.

"Everyone please go upstairs" Carlisle rummaged through his tools to find a syringe. He pulled it from the other tools and pushed down on the button.

Everyone walked up the stairs. I wondered why for a moment. Then I came to the conclusion that me bleeding in a room full of vampires wasn't the best idea of the year. Leah began her assent of the stairs but Carlisle stopped her.

"I just wanted the vampires out of the room while I did this." He said calmly. "You're more than welcome to stay Leah."

"Okay." Leah took a seat at the bottom of the stairs. "Thanks."

"This won't hurt at all." Carlisle said to me. He stuck the thin butterfly needle of the syringe into my right arm. He pulled the end of it, sucking blood into the plastic tube. When the red life fluid made it to the 10 milliliter line, Carlisle removed the needle from my skin and flicked the syringe gently. "I'll run some tests on this. Meanwhile, you should enjoy your Christmas." He winked at me and let me stand.

Leah started toward the door pulling my arm.

I brushed her hand off of me lightly. "Carlisle, who is Aro?" I asked.

"One of the three Volturi leaders." He answered calmly.

"And the Volturi are?" I pressed on. I swallowed deeply and let the cold air rush through my lips.

"They are the royalty of our world." He was obviously talking about the vampire world. I didn't think the shape-shifters had anything like that, but hell, anything is possible. "They create and enforce the laws that vampires are to live by. Why do you ask?" He set the blood-filled syringe on the aluminum tray that held his medical supplies.

"That messenger said he worked for Aro, right?" I asked. I already knew the answer, but for the sake of clarification, I asked. "And Aro is in the Volturi." I continued.

"Yes."

"I think the Volturi may have had a hand in the murder of my parents last month." I said grimly. I felt darker as I let those words escape from my mouth.

"That is something to consider." Carlisle gazed off, into space, thinking. "I'll send Aro a letter concerning the situation. Is that alright with you?"

I nodded.

"Alright then." Carlisle stood and brushed off his white sweater. "Is there anything else you need Malakai?" He shot a glance at Leah. "Leah looks like she wants to take you somewhere."

I looked over at Leah and she was tapping her foot on the floor. The sound echoed through the now empty living room. "Thanks Carlisle." She said and looked at me. "Think we can go now? I need to start dinner." So Leah was going to keep her promise to Sue; that she would make me dinner tonight. "And don't pass out again. We're almost at the end of the chapter."

I chucked and opened the front door. The frost nipped at my face in the winter breeze. "I think I'll manage."


	12. Herstory

**Author's Notes:**

**Hey again peeps,**

**I don't have much to say about this chapter. Production was smooth, from drafting to editing. I wish all of my chapters would flow this nicely.**

**I took a look back at the English papers I had to write this school year and I learned loads from them. All those papers I hated writing; setting, irony, inference, allegory. They helped a lot. I'll toss out a thanks to my English teacher, Dr. Coach. (What I call him)**

**Also, thanks to the reviewers that stop by every chapter to let me know what they think. It's appreciated.**

**Meech

* * *

**

We arrived at the Clearwater house about twenty minutes after we left the Cullen's. Earlier this morning, I didn't get a chance to look around the place I would be spending much of my time.

Leah escorted me in, and made a bee line to the kitchen. I followed her.

The kitchen was, in one word, cozy. The entire room was painted an earthy tone of orange, like clay. The island counter in the center had stone tiles of a brown complection to compliment the rest of the kitchen. In it, was the double sink faucet. On the main counter were bags of groceries, just as Sue had promised.

"So," Leah bent over to open the cabinet at her knees. She clanked around in it, and placed a baking pan on the counter top. "Like your Christmas so far?"

"Yeah," I pulled out one of the stools near the counter and sat on it. I rested my elbows on the counter, ignoring my manners. "I got a brand new black credit card. A black sports car to match. And on top of that." I batted my eyelashes at Leah.

She rolled her eyes. "What?"

"My lovely girlfriend is cooking dinner for me." I finished with a yawn. Apparently, I didn't get enough sleep last night.

"Isn't that cute." A masculine voice rang out from behind me.

I whipped my head around so fast that I got light headed. My eyes registered the russet skinned man. I sighed with relief that it was a familiar face.

"Seth," Leah called him as she prepared the turkey she retrieved from the stainless steel refrigerator. She didn't have to do much to the turkey. I guessed Sue had already gutted and cleaned it in advance, to make Leah's life a little easier.

"Yo." Seth sauntered over with a blithe air about him. He nodded and sat in the stool that was next to me. "Merry Christmas."

"Same." I answered. I was uneasy sitting next to him. Who wouldn't be considering he punched the shit out of me a few days ago.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot dude." Seth admitted. He sat his arms on the counter and played with one of the wax fruit sculptures in the wooden bowl that was adjacent to him. "I over reacted, and I was wrong. Sorry."

I definitely didn't expect that. I felt a lot better sitting next to the behemoth of a man. I took a deep breath and smiled at him. "No problem."

Leah looked satisfied that Seth had apologized, and that I accepted. She sprinkled garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed basil on the bird in front of her. She rubbed the turkey meticulously, not missing a spot. Then she washed her hands, opened the oven, set it to four-hundred-fifty degrees Fahrenheit and set the turkey in, closing the door.

"How's Christmas?" Leah asked. I guessed that question was directed at Seth since I had answered one similar to it not five minutes earlier.

"It was awesome Leah." Seth exclaimed with a childish glee. I could now see and believe that he was seventeen years old by his expression, despite his over-developed body. "Emmett got me a PS3 and some games. It's in the living room if you wanna play."

"You know I'm no good at video games." Leah said as she walked over to the fridge. She opened it and pulled out one of the drawers. She extracted what looked to be a produce bag filled with a bundle of asparagus. "Malakai has some skills I 've heard."

"Really?" Seth looked to be amused. He showed his teeth in a smile. "Rock Band?"

"I'm alright." I told him. Alright was about all I was in that game. The only instrument I was half assed decent with was the bass. It's presence was there supporting the lead guitar, but it fades into the background, much like myself. Metaphorically speaking. "I'll play if Leah sings." I turned my head to her.

"Leah?" Seth asked.

She rinsed off the asparagus in the steaming hot water. Then she cut the inedible parts off and set the rest in a medium sized, silver pot, filled with water. "I don't feel like playing today. Maybe tomorrow."

"Aww you're no fun!" Seth shouted and threw his head onto the counter. The various ornaments on it jingled and shook with the vibration.

Leah sighed. "Well I'm done in here for now." She wiped her hands on the black and white checkered towel that hung from the stove handle. "You two go into the living room. I'll be there in a minute."

"Alright." I rose and walked out of the kitchen, touching the archway as I passed through it. I stopped, remembering I didn't know my way around here.

Seth walked ahead of me and I followed him. He led me into a large room.

It had large windows that went from the floor to the ceiling. They were about two feet in width. Between them were columns of old looking bricks the same width.

There was a regal inspired, red and gold rug on the floor. An old looking coffee table that looked like it had been made from a tree stump sat on top of it.

I took a seat on the brown leather sectional that was around the table. It was insanely soft. I let myself sink into its comfort.

Seth took a seat on the opposite end. "There it is." He said and pointed at the floor near the new looking high definition television. The red light on the front of the next-gen gaming console was solid, meaning it was in standby.

Leah sauntered into the room carrying two glass mugs filled with a white liquid. She handed one to me and kept the other. The couch made a squeaking noise as Leah sat next to me. "It's egg nog." She said as she noticed my guessing eyes studying the mug.

"What about me?" Seth asked. He stared at me as I took a sip from the glass.

"You're not a guest here." Leah sat her mug on the table. She chuckled to herself lightly. "Get your own damn egg nog."

Seth pursed his lips and made a strange face.

"Mom told me to tell you to go to Charlie's when I was there earlier." Leah drained her mug of some of the egg nog. "She wanted you there asap."

"Really?" Seth asked.

Leah nodded.

"I guess I'll be over there then." Seth jumped to his feet. He pulled off his shirt and headed for the front door. "I'll catch you two lovebirds later." Seth teased as he stepped out, closing the door behind him.

It was quiet a while after Seth left. Leah and I both nearly downed our drinks in a few gulps. After about ten minutes, I realized something.

"Leah," I drew my mug to my mouth again. I took a sip and set the mug on the table again. "I don't remember Miss Clearwater-"

"You should really start calling her Sue." Leah told me. She smiled half heartedly. "She thinks being called 'Miss Clearwater' or 'Ma'am' makes her sound old. She let you slide with it today because you're new here...and there was a cop in the house."

"Sue," I corrected. "Anyway, she didn't say anything about wanting Seth back at Charlie's."

"Damn." Leah shook her head. "Do you always have to be so observant?"

"When it's beneficial to me..." I said in a hushed tone. I knew that she could hear me, but it was a habit.

"I called my mom and told her to keep Seth entertained for a bit." Leah placed her mug on the table as well. She twiddled her thumbs. It was funny seeing her do it because I was always the one who had a reason to. "So we could hang out today."

"Ah." I thought of a plethora of jokes I could have made. But I decided I wouldn't give Leah a hard time about wanting the same thing I did; spending a white Christmas alone, with her.

"What, do you want me to phase and get Seth to come back?" Leah asked. It was more of a threat than an actual question.

I shook my head no.

"I'm tired of sitting around in the quiet." Leah sat up and looked around herself. She leaned back into the couch when she found the silver remote control for the television. She pressed the power button, causing the black monitor to glow a dark blue. "So, we can watch some overrated Christmas special, or a movie."

"Movie." I answered quickly.

I'd had my fair share of Christmas plays, and specials when I was twelve. That was the year my mom forced me to sign up for parts in three different plays. Not by her supernatural methods, just by being my mom and having the ability to make my life hell if I didn't do what she asked. She thought it would be a great way for me to make some friends.

That was another endeavor in vain, not that I wanted friends.

"The are DVD's over there." Leah pointed to a black, iron wrought CD tower. "Pick something."

I jumped to my feet and went where Leah pointed. I browsed the titles of a few of the movies. _Inside Man, Swordfish, Italian Job, The Departed, The Transporter box-set._ All decent movies, but not what I was in the mood for.

I scanned the rest of the shelves. My eyes were drawn to the brightly colored VHS boxes at the bottom._ Balto. _Woah, did I seriously find an old kids movie here?

I pulled the case from the DVD tower and showed it to Leah. "Seriously?"

"It's Seth's." Leah answered too quickly.

I looked at the back cover, then back at Leah. "Then why does it have your name right here in pink marker?"

"Damnit, I'll pick something." She looked a little frustrated when she stood.

"Wait, I wanna pick." I shooed her away with my hand. I checked the rest of the VHS movies and came across a classic. "Oh shit!"

"What?!" Leah was at my side in a split second. "Are you okay?"

"Um," I teeter-tottered in surprise as I clutched the movie in my hands. I fell over sideways and bonked my head on the floor. She was too quick, her showing up beside me that fast nearly gave me a heart attack. "Yeah."

"What then?" Leah stood. She furrowed her brow, surely, questioning my exclamation.

"Let's watch this." I handed her the tape.

Leah took it, and shook her head with a smile. "You're kidding right?"

"No." I got up, and walked back to my seat on the couch. "The Lion King is awesome."

"You can't make this easy for me can you?" Leah said as she made her way to the VCR. She pressed the eject button to be sure there was nothing in the slot. Then, she inserted the tape and sat next to me.

"What?"

"I already have a problem dating someone under 18." Leah pressed the auxiliary one button on the remote. Then, fast forwarded through the commercials in the beginning of the movie. "Can you at least act more mature?"

"My sincerest apologies miss." I said mimicking a masculine man's voice. "Would you rather read the newspaper to discover the intricacies of the recent state of biological inconsistencies? Or perhaps peruse the Forks library for photographs of ancient Egyptian artifacts?"

"Shut up." Leah laughed. She cupped my cheek with her palm and gently pulled my head to her lap.

My face reddened.

"I like you. Just. Like. This." Leah cooed softly and blew into my ear.

My body went rigid like I was a corpse after rigor mortis had fully set in.

"Why are you so stiff?" Leah massaged my shoulders. "Relax."

Well, since I was here I may as well enjoy it. I kicked off my shoes and put my feet on the couch. I pulled my knees to my chest to warm the rest of my body. I lifted my head off of Leah's lap to clear my hair from my eyes, then layed it there again.

"Happy?" I asked.

"Very." Leah pressed the play button on the remote.

The classic theme of the Lion King played. _The Circle of Life _rang throughout the living room. After that, the movie proceeded as it should have. Leah and I laughed when appropriate. Solemn during the Mufasa's death. And sang along with _Hakuna Matata._

The movie really was worth watching again. So many fond memories were associated with it.

* * *

I opened my eyes and yawned a long, healthy yawn. I let my eyes roam the room and it looked like nothing had changed. I glanced at the television but it was off.

Was the movie over already?

I was still in Leah's lap. She had a hand in my hair, playing with a few strands. I yawned again, this time, I covered my mouth. "Sorry."

"No problem," Leah smiled sweetly. "Ready for dinner?"

Dinner? Surely I wasn't out that long. "How long was I asleep?"

"About an hour or two." She answered. Leah was still smiling.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry," I said again. "How come you're so happy that I fell asleep?"

"Been thinking." Leah answered. She looked out the window at the snow that had begun falling while I was sleeping.

"About?"

"This." Leah dipped her head close to mine. She let her lips sit upon mine. They tangled into an irreversible knot.

I tried to keep up with her, but my efforts were useless. Leah was just so much better a kisser than me. My eyes bulged.

Leah finally pulled away. "Merry Christmas" Leah winked as she pulled me to my feet. She took my hand and trotted off, towing me along, into the kitchen. "Dinner's getting cold."

On the mahogany table was a simple, yet exquisite feast. It consisted of a beautifully basted turkey in a white ceramic dish. Sliced potatoes surrounded it. The asparagus sat next to the turkey in its own, matching white ceramic bowl. Two premade plates filled with food sat on both sides of the table.

Leah pulled out her own chair while I was still standing next to the table. She looked at me with a quizzical face. "Sit," She said in her sweet voice.

I did as she said, but not very quickly. My movements were uncoordinated. Clumsy. I pulled out my chair and tried to sit in it. Little did I know I had pulled it too far away from the table. Needless to say, I fell on my butt and looked like an idiot.

I heard Leah laughing above the table. I couldn't see her though, since the table obstructed my view from the ground.

I stood up and tried to sit again. This time I was sure to check that the chair was still under me when I surrendered my weight to it. At least I was above eye level with the floor.

"Too much?" Leah asked, jabbing a fork in my direction.

I nervously turned my head to look out the kitchen window at the freshly fallen powder outside. "Hell yeah."

"Oh," Leah said.

I heard some scraping and clanking so I returned my attention to the table. Leah had my plate in her hand and was moving some of the food from my plate to hers. I realized that it wasn't the kiss she had been asking about. Her taking some of the food was quite alright, it was really too much anyway.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. I didn't have an appetite, to tell the truth. I wasn't going to tell Leah that. Not after she spent a good deal of the day cooking dinner and watching me sleep. I bit into the turkey on my plate. It was great. The spices worked wonders for my least favorite of all meat.

The asparagus was next. That was heavenly too. I'm not really into asparagus, but if it was always prepared with an orange zest tasting sauce, I would be.

"How is it?" Leah asked, breaking the silence.

"Great." I managed to articulate through a mouthful of asparagus.

"What's on your mind?" Leah sliced the turkey that her fork held.

"After that kiss you really have to ask?" I answered with a question.

"Oh really." She laughed her beautiful laugh again. "Well, after dinner we could make it reality." Leah whispered with a seductive undertone in her voice.

I cleared my throat and scratched my face with one finger.

I seriously need to get used to Leah's games. She's getting as good at them as I am. Or maybe she was always better. That sounds more logical. The twenty year old being better at seduction than the fifteen year old. That, and the fact that she has boobs.

There was something that had been clawing into the back of my mind for a few days now. Ever since I met Sam, I had to wonder why Leah would just give up on him like that. It wasn't really a conversation for Christmas dinner, but, it continued to screw with my head.

"Leah," I began. "What happened between you and Sam?" I asked as I finished the last of the food on my plate, stuffing myself.

Leah's face changed from gleefulness to solemnity. "He was my first, then he imprinted on my cousin. The end." Leah gave me the short version.

"What really happened?" I reiterated my question. I should have just let her be.

"Sam and I were high school sweethearts." Leah began. Evidently, she realized I wanted the whole story.

I placed my fork on my plate and pushed it forward.

"I was a freshman and he was a junior." Leah's eyes softened as she recited her painful tale.

I knew it would be difficult for her. But I needed to hear it. From Leah's mouth.

"We were inseparable. There was no Sam without Leah. The same went for me." Leah set her fork on the table. I guessed my question ruined her appetite. "Time went by and we grew more and more attached. In my sophomore year, Sam phased for the first time. He thought he was insane. Who wouldn't if they woke up one day a huge wolf?

"He ran off and no one knew where he was for a few months." Leah's eyes welled up with tears.

"Leah you don't have to fini-"

Leah continued her heartfelt tale with a sorrowful voice. "I didn't know what to do. Those were the longest days of my life. Then he did come back, and things were normal. For a little at least."

Hearing Leah like this made me regret asking about her past. I didn't care anymore.

I just wanted _my _Leah to return.

_My _Leah that was always smiling.

_My _Leah that kept up with my sarcasm, and trumped me every time.

_This _Leah was a stranger, and one I would have to learn more about to be able to love _my _Leah properly.

"Then my cousin Emily visited from the Makah reservation for the holidays. I brought her over to meet my Sam." Leah's face twisted when she said Sam's name. "He layed eyes on her, and the rest is history."

"Leah I-" Damnit, could I finish one sentence today?

"Just...It's late, go to bed. I'll meet you upstairs." Leah didn't even look at me. She just had that same dazed look as she left the table, carrying dishes and food scraps.

"I can help." I couldn't leave her here like this.

She ignored me.

"No." I ran around the counter to get to Leah.

I tried to give her a comforting hug.

Leah simply parried my hands away from her. I tried again but she weaved away from my grasp again.

I don't know what happened, but I felt like crying now. I figured if I went upstairs to bed like she asked, Leah just might speak to me. I did exactly that.

I clawed my way up the too steep stairs and took a sluggish pace into Leah's bedroom. Everything was dark, but I didn't bother hitting the light. I pulled off my shirt and pants and kept walking. When I hit the bed, I fell onto it. I closed my eyes, hoping I could fall into the melancholy of sleep and it was more easily done than I thought.

"Malakai." I heard faintly to my left.

I turned my head to see Leah standing over me. She shedded her dayclothes as well.

"Do you mind?" Leah asked.

"It's your room." I reminded her.

She layed on the bed beside me. "I know you're angry, I treated you badly."

I grumbled into a pillow.

"Look, I'm sorry okay?" Leah sat her hand on the back of my head. "You just wanted to know. I'm just not used to telling the story. Everyone around here knows, and knows not to ask me about it."

I lifted my head and set it on Leah's arm.

She smiled at me again. Her eyes were full of another unspoken apology.

I didn't know what it was. Whenever Leah would flash that million-dollar smile, everything I was feeling would melt away. The only thing fresh in my mind was bliss.

I nodded, and Leah wrapped her arms around my neck. She kissed my forehead as I drifted into unconsciousness.

* * *

**Author's Note: I forgot to mention that I'm looking for a beta reader, so if any of you are up to the task, send me a PM. **

**Merce'**


	13. Long Flight

**Author's Note,**

**Sorry about the extended delay for chapters twelve and thirteen. AT&T has been fucking around again and killing my connectivity. Someone needs to "go ape shit on their candy ass." lol.**

**The beta reader role is still open. Send me a PM if interested.**

**Anyway R&R,**

**Meech**

I opened my eyes for the first time in what felt like days. I blinked hard, twice. Then, rubbed my eyes with my hands to clear them of the crust that accumulated during my slumber.

It felt strange awakening with my face on a pillow. For the past few nights, I've had a nice toasty she-wolf to keep my body warm. My neck was stiff from the feather down pillow's unforgiving stiffness compared to Leah's soft bosom.

I pushed the sheets away from me and got out of bed. My joints cracked with every step I took. I made a mental note of the clothes that mysteriously made it from my dresser at the Cullen's, to their folded state at the foot of the bed.

I didn't bother taking a look in the mirror as I passed it. I felt dead, and was sure I looked it too.

What time was it anyway?

I whipped my head around to face the clock on the nightstand. The red and black digital display read one o'clock. Well, since the natural, bright sunlight filled the room, I guessed it was one in the afternoon.

I opened the bedroom door and sauntered down the hall. First things first, I needed to make a trip to the bathroom. As I neared the opposite end of the hall, I heard someone bound up the stairs.

I hoped it was Leah. I couldn't remember the last time she wasn't there when I woke up in the morning. I missed her, even if it was only for five minutes.

I smiled when I glanced down the staircase and saw that it was her. "Morning." I said, opening my arms as she approached.

I hadn't noticed before Leah was in my face, but there were tears in her eyes.

"Problem?" I asked.

Leah slowed to a stop in front of me. She embraced me and let her chin rest on the crown of my head. I heard sobs leave her lips. "You're awake." She finally said.

"Yeah." I didn't move. Leah was hurt for reasons unknown to me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing now." She sniffled and unwrapped her arms. Instead of pulling completely away, Leah gripped both my arms with her hands and managed to form a smile.

"Then what's eating you?"

"You didn't wake up for a week and a half." Leah released me and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"What are you talking about? I just went to sleep yesterday." I said and my stomach growled. I patted it with my hand, laughing.

"It's been a few days." Leah sat her hand on my shoulder. "Carlisle checked, and said that you would be fine, you were just sleeping. But to leave you alone." I heard her take a few deep breaths and she steadied herself on her feet. "Alot happened. Look at your hair and eyes."

"So it's January, I missed New Year?"

Leah nodded. She ran her fingers through my hair and gripped some of it. It wasn't violent, and didn't hurt. She pulled a few strands to the center of my face so I could look at them.

It was pure white. As white as baking soda or flour. When the light hit it, it was faintly silver. It was the exact same hue as mother's. Beautiful.

I took my hair from Leah's hands and pulled more of it into my face from the other side of my head. Then I dropped it and let it hang loose. "Wow" I mouthed.

"It didn't change like that overnight." Leah kissed my forehead again. That was something I could get used to. Her sorrowful mood, however, would have to go out the window. "It started at the root, and like, I dunno, covered your old color. Then it grew out white. Carlisle said you would probably wake up after it completely changed. He was right."

It had just dawned on me that Leah said "Hair _and eyes,_". I ran past her into the bathroom to get a look in the mirror. I pressed my hands on the blue counter top and moved my face closer to the mirror. My eyebrows and eyelashes had changed as well.

Sure enough, my eyes were the exact same color as my hair, except they had that natural gloss that was in everyone's eyes.

I rubbed my face as Leah stepped into the small bathroom. "If it makes you feel any better, I like how it looks."

I looked at her with a huge grin on my face. "I like it too." I let my hair fall into my face and flipped it back without using my hands, like they do in those shampoo commercials. "I look bad ass."

Leah rolled her eyes and shook her head with a sigh. That was the Leah I was used to. "You know the drill. Get dressed, I want your doctor vamp to take a look at you."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd go out on a limb and say you care about me." I widened my eyes and clasped both of my hands together at my chest.

"Don't get carried away. It just wouldn't look good if some one died here." Leah balanced her hands on her hips and sauntered out of the room. "Towel's on the rack. Your clothes are..."

"On the bed." I finished for her.

"Yeah yeah. Hurry up." Leah shouted from what sounded like downstairs.

"I want a cup of coffee and the paper when I get down there." I joked as I climbed into the tub. I turned the transparent knob on the left of the faucet. Hot water rushed out of the shower head.

"Whatever," I heard other voices from the living room. My best guess was that Leah turned on the television and decided to ignore whatever else I was going to say. "I'll make you breakfast, but you're on your own with the paper."

"I'll live I guess." I turned the knob on the right of the faucet, to cool the water.

Sure, Leah was hot, but at least she was comforting.

That water scorched the hell out of my chest.

When it settled into a soothing medium, I leaned forward, wetting my newfound mane. The water was refreshing. I found a wash cloth and lathered it with the green bar of Irish Spring that sat in the soap dish on the side of the tub. The suds on my body slid down my legs along with the warm, invigorating mist that the steam produced.

So the sky really is blue in Forks too. Two crows flew in circles, chasing each other in the cloudless sky. It was strange to be able to see the sun in the normally overcast sky. It shone brightly overhead as Leah and I trudged up the stairs of my new home.

_Home._

That would be a concept I would have to re-familiarize myself with. After I did, I would have to grow accustomed to calling this gorgeous modern-styled piece of real estate, _home. _Vampires, Shapeshifters, hybrid vamps and all.

The snow that coated the pebbled driveway and matching staircase had almost melted away entirely. Still, it was wet enough for me to slip on one of the concrete stairs that led to the front porch.

I caught myself with my hands and managed to save this beautiful face. However, I screamed on the unexpected trip down.

That was a no no. My loud reaction caused some of the unmelted snow from the roof to slide down onto my short-sleeved, black dress shirt.

"Damnit!" I shouted and climbed to my feet. The snow on my back fell to my blue jean's pant cuff, then to the ground as soon as I was vertical. I bristled at the cold wet spot the snow left on my back.

Leah shook her head and smiled. "Don't catch a cold kid."

One of the white French doors swung open. Alice bounded out of it, into the cold. Well, cold for me anyway. I forgot that her everyday body temperature was lower than this.

"I love what you've done with your hair." Alice said as she draped the towel over my back. Then knelt to give me a hug with her icy, strong arms. "Hey Leah." Alice waved two fingers in Leah's direction.

"Yo." Leah nodded and stepped through the open front door, disappearing into the house.

"It's all the rage in Paris dawling." I said in a voice full of pompousness. Then I twirled my finger in my hair.

Alice and I stood and climbed our way up the stairs. Once at the top, we rounded the corner into the house and closed the door behind us.

It was emptier than I expected. Only Carlisle, Esme, and Alice were here before Leah and I arrived. I didn't hear anything upstairs. And no one was laughing at my thoughts, so it was a definite that Edward wasn't around. Esme was on her way into the kitchen when I entered the room.

"Hungry?" She asked as she gracefully brushed past me.

"Leah made breakfast before we came." I informed Esme. I turned my body and sauntered into the living room. Then I stopped, turning again, to add: "I could go for a glass of milk though." I began following Esme into the kitchen, but she stopped me.

"Carlisle wants to talk to you." Esme shooed me away with her pale hands. "I'll bring you your milk."

"Thanks," I started toward the living room again. My footsteps echoed in the emptiness of the hall.

"No problem dear." Esme whistled and merrily continued on her way.

Carlisle and Leah were sitting on the white sectional that spanned the southern and eastern walls of the room. Alice was leaning on the window wall looking outside. A small vial filled with a red liquid sat upright on the stainless steel and glass coffee table. I could only assume that it was the blood I had drawn yesterday...I mean, last week.

Carlisle clapped his hands together and patted the seat next to him, motioning for me to sit. "Did you get enough sleep?" He asked with a warm smile.

"Well, my dream was just getting to the good part." I chuckled lightly and walked over to sit on the couch next to Carlisle.

"Which was?" Carlisle leaned forward, placing his elbows onto his knees to brace himself.

I shot a mischievous glance in Leah's direction. "We can talk about it later."

Leah rolled her eyes and shifted her body away from me.

Carlisle was the next to laugh. "Well, back to business." He cleared his throat and sat straight up. He grabbed the glass vial from the coffee table and handed it to me. "You were definitely bitten by the lycan. His poison is in your blood."

My eyes widened with shock as I fingered the vial in my hands. "Then, how am I still alive?"

"I don't know." Carlisle admitted. He shrugged his shoulders and sat his hands on his legs. "Or I do know why you're still alive, but the reason in peculiar."

"Explain." Leah said. She shifted her body back into its original position when she sat. Obviously, she wanted to be part of this conversation.

"Instead of killing Malakai." Carlisle began. "The venom bonded with his DNA, creating a third link, in addition to the first two."

I raised the vial to my face and eyed it. The blood inside looked normal. There was no sign of a werewolf's venom tainting it. Just goes to show, as with the Cullens, La Push pack and Optimus Prime, there's always more than meets the eye.

"So I'm back to normal?" That was all I could hope for in this situation.

"I wouldn't say normal." Carlisle cupped his hands and interlaced his fingers, sitting them on his lap. "But you'll live."

Esme walked into the room carrying an interesting glass. It was gold rimmed with intricate designs etched into the gold. On the glass portion, were pictures of old Norse gods. She set the glass on the coffee table in front of me. It barely clanked when it touched the table.

"Here's you're milk." Esme smiled and bowed as she walked backwards away from me. She sat on the couch near Leah, but not near enough for Leah to lose it, thank goodness.

I nodded a thanks to Esme silently and watched as Carlisle continued.

"Believe it or not. Since your mother used your body to phase and fight Aro's messenger, I think you may be capable of doing it yourself." Carlisle wiped his cheek with his hand. "However, I think being a leopard may be out of the question."

"Then?" I asked and took a sip of my milk. It tasted so much better than I remembered it being.

"A Lycanthrope." Carlisle finished and hung his head. "But I'm unsure. If you do phase, it would be a few weeks at the least."

"Okay." I said. Being a shapeshifter came with the territory. I live in the supernatural world. It was only a matter of time before it changed me. Crying and complaining would get me nothing but wet eyes and bitch status. "Speaking of Aro, have you given any thought to my question?"

"I actually received the reply to my letter a few days ago." Carlisle's butterscotch eyes were fixated on me.

"Isn't Volterra like in Italy?" I asked and set my milk glass onto the table. "How did you get the response so quickly."

Carlisle looked at me like it was the most obvious answer in the world. "Twitter." And so it was the most obvious answer in the world. I just didn't think that a hundred-plus year old vampire would use it.

"What did it say?" Leah chimed in.

"He wants yourself, Malakai and I to come to Volterra to speak about this problem in person." Carlisle resettled himself in his seat. His acting human was completely believable. "Edward is coming as a precaution, because of his mind reading abilities and Esme would enjoy the sights. Everyone else has other plans."

"Okay." I said again.

Alice skipped over to me from her quiet forest watching corner. She sat next to me on the arm of the couch, and laid her palm flat on the crown of my head. "Besides your mother possessing you, nothing phases you huh? Pun intended." She laughed.

"Nope." I said to Alice, then looked back at Carlisle. "So when do we leave?"

"Well," Carlisle glanced at his watch and back at me. "In about five hours. Your bags are packed and in the trunk of my car."

"How did you know?" I cocked my head sideways and scrunched my eyebrows.

Carlisle said nothing and pointed to the short vampire sitting beside me.

Alice shrugged. "Guilty."

"I thought you said you couldn't see my future."

"I did," Alice slid down from the arm of the couch, and pushed me away, to make some space for her to sit. "But only when Leah's involved in it. I can't see shapeshifters. She had nothing to do with you waking up today."

"Oh," I exhaled sharply. "So what's that, a fourteen hour flight?"

"Just about." Esme answered and smiled warmly.

I scratched the back of my head and sighed. "Fun fun. What's everyone else going to do?"

"Edward and Bella already caught their flight. They should be landing soon." Carlisle paused momentarily, to take a breath. If he wasn't talking, he wouldn't need it. "Emmett and Rosalie are going to Rio for some fun. And Jake is going keep Nessie at his house as another precaution. To make sure she's out of harms way."

"So many precautions. Why?" I asked. "Are the Volturi that seedy?"

"Not that they're untrustworthy. Some vampires tend to be a little more hostile than others when there's a large populace concentrated into a small area." Carlisle drew in another breath, held it, and loosed it without a word. "They constantly wonder how a coven of our size can even exist, and how and why we ally with shapeshifters."

"Oh." I began sweating. I could possibly die on this trip. At anytime, on the flight to Volterra. When I actually meet the Volturi that thirsted for my blood. Or on the returning flight home.

Death is a whole lot less attractive when it's in your face.

"Not to worry." Esme said. "You'll be fine."

"Yeah."Alice chimed in.

"You and Jasper have plans?" I asked Alice as she laid her cold head on my shoulder.

"Yep, but nothing that you'll have to worry about." She lifted her head. With one hand she tugged at the bottom of her eyelid and stuck out her tongue. "Now go get in the car, this is going to be a busy day for the airport." Alice's eyes stared off into the future, I'm sure. "You're going to need two hours for security."

**A/N: That was a quote from Talladega Knights in the first author's note, by the way.**


	14. Volterra

**A/N: I think I made good on my promises this chapter. Read and Review.**

**Don't be mean like last chapter and not review lol. I got only one.**

**Don't forget the note in the bottom.**

**Meech**

* * *

It was two twenty-six in the morning when our flight landed in Volterra. Leah, Carlisle, Esme and I strode out of the long, metal hallway that connected our plane to the airport gate. Our gate and the surrounding ones were all empty. All empty, save for the clerks that were being paid overtime to stand behind their desks and play minesweeper all night.

Each of their eyes went from my polished, visually-appealing adoptive parents, to my beautiful girlfriend. Then, they focused on me. No, not me. More like my hair.

I don't know why I was surprised. My hair color wasn't normal. I could feel the white strands billowing behind me in the tailwind. I knew they shone faintly silver every time I walked under one of the rectangular fluorescent lights that littered the ceiling.

Carlisle led the way to what was probably baggage claim. He was really in the spirit. He even wore some Italian shoes that looked nothing like his conservative style. The ox blood colored loafers looked as though Alice would have bought, them and Carlisle put them in his closet out of consideration for her feelings.

As our four-man group stood on the moving stairs of the escalator, under the sign that read "baggage claim," I felt a warm hand clasp mine. I shifted my weary gaze to the right of me.

Leah looked at me and smiled. Chances were that she didn't know it, but that one smile showed me how exhausted she really was.

How selfish of me never to think of Leah's condition until now. I didn't know how many nights of sleep she had missed while she worried about me in my coma. I know I got my sleep. I couldn't bring myself to return her smile. I looked into her Leah's eyes and said every word I wanted to say with my own eyes.

_I'm sorry._

_I won't let it happen again._

_I promise, just believe me._

_Please._

Leah's brown eyes glistened with understanding. She gave me a gentle smirk that said. _Don't worry about it. _That was how I knew she was able to fathom my silently spoken message.

I could feel another grin in front of me as we neared the bottom of the escalator.

It was none other than Esme's. I didn't notice her when she turned to face us. Her pale skin sat high and taut on her cheekbones. How long had she been like that?

"You two are soooo cute." Esme beamed and clutched Carlisle's arm. I'd never seen a smile that grandeur that wasn't one of Leah's.

I shifted around in my shoes. Yeah, I was embarrassed. The way Esme eyed me and Leah was like a mother seeing her son and his date on their senior prom. I took a wayward glance at Leah. Although she didn't consider Esme as a maternal figure, she pretended to be interested in my headphones I had draped around my neck. A feeble attempt at distraction.

Carlisle turned his head to the side. He observed my and Leah's distressed mannerisms. He brought a hand to the back of his head and rubbed his short, blond hair. The visible corner of his mouth curved upward. "Esme, you're embarrassing them."

"Oh alright." Esme still radiantly donned her smile, but tuned it down a little and stepped off of the escalator with Carlisle.

Leah and I followed them to the rotating carousel that would be holding our bags when they were removed from the aircraft. Our shoes clapped against the brown, textured, ceramic tiles.

There were more people here in the baggage claim area. I recognized many of them from our fourteen hour flight.

One of them was an tall Italian man. Judging by the briefcase he carried and held like it was his first child, he was a business man. He wore a black blazer with a white tee shirt, and black pants that matched. He had been watching Leah the entire flight. I would know since I got absolutely no sleep in the roomy, first-class seats.

He had been staring at Leah with an unmistakable lust in his eyes. It sickened me.

It angered me. But it didn't make sense. Aside from passing glances at Leah that mirrored my own when I first laid eyes on here, he had done nothing. It was completely irrational that I be upset with him over a reaction that many people were sure to have.

He turned and saw the object of his fawning. He sauntered over to Leah, who was standing next to me.

The conveyor belt in the center of the carousel buzzed to life and the first few pieces of luggage fell onto the spiraling metal.

"Excuse me ma'am." The Italian guy tapped Leah on the shoulder of her blue, denim jacket. "My name is Abramo." He said in a thick Italian accent.

"Yes?" Leah said in a polite tone and she turned to face him.

"Well I have just returned home to Volterra and you look like you came to have a good time." He smiled and ran a few tanned fingers through his shiny, black hair. "My cousin does tours. I can give him your number if you first give it to me."

Five more suitcases were released onto the carousel, two of which belonged to my traveling group. Carlisle pretended to struggle with the weight of them, when he pulled the bags off and sat them at his feet.

I coughed and cleared my throat, as I refused to leave Leah's side. It wasn't because I thought Abramo had a chance with her. It was more of a pride thing. I reached into my pocket to play some music on my phone to help calm me. I turned the volume as high as it would go, so that I could hear without putting the headphones on my head. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata played through the forty millimeter speakers of the headphones I got from Rosalie for Christmas.

Abramo gave me a glance of acknowledgement to be polite. Then he returned to his task at hand. "That's a handsome little brother you have."

Leah looked around for a second. I guessed she was looking for Seth. If I had a younger sibling, I would look around for them, because of the knowledge I had one.

Abramo appeared perplexed when he cast a finger to point at me.

I kept quiet while I wondered what Leah would say.

"Oh, he's my boyfriend." Leah laughed and tapped herself on the forehead with her index finger.

Abramo raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He directed his question at me.

"Well, that's what she calls me." I said. I tried to be as nonchalant as possible when I answered him.

Leah jabbed me in my side with her elbow.

"Ow!" I exclaimed. "You know that doesn't look good for our case."

"No it doesn't." Abramo bent his arm in front of him. He pulled back his sleeve to check the black and silver watch that ornamented his wrist. "If you do not wish to speak with me then tell me. Please do not play games." The

"I really am Leah's boyfriend." I admitted. I extended my arm toward his, my palm was open. "I'm just not used to claiming it verbally."

Abramo drew in a breath. His frown loosened with the action when he took my hand and shook it. "Well, get used to it quickly. You're a lucky man." His eyes softened and he took a woeful glance at Leah. "Women like to feel important. If you don't treat her as such, she may just leave you." Abramo bowed and walked away.

He had no idea he was so far away from the truth. Leah would never leave me. Sure, part of the reason was because she imprinted on me. The other part is that she knows I'm young, and I'm not mature enough to actively pursue my feelings.

"So, are we ready to go?" Carlisle's smooth voice said from behind me. When he got there, I didn't know. "Edward just called, he and Bella are outside in the truck they rented."

I jumped and turned around. Esme had my and Leah's suitcase handles in her hands. They were extended so that she could tow them along on their wheels. I took both bags from her. I had to heavily insist that I would not allow her to carry the burdens while I was empty-handed.

Even if they were more a burden for me than they were for her.

Carlisle and Esme led the way again. We walked through the baggage claim room to the exit. I wasn't ready for my first whiff of Volterran air.

It smelled delicious. Even at the airport with people burning their cigars and cigarettes, I could taste the fresh Italian air.

In the distance, I could see the castle walls that this city was famous for. They were all a light brown, sandy color. The archways looked nothing short of angelic. The way they were crafted out the heavy bricks in the early eighteen-hundreds practically screamed that they housed something supernatural.

A black truck that looked Italian styled, honked its horn twice from its parked position at the curb. The dark tinted passenger-side window lowered. Inside was Bella. From what I could see of the driver's side, it was Edward.

He fumbled with some buttons on the side of the door's interior. Finally, glass window in the rear of the car popped, then slowly raised itself.

It gave Carlisle ample space to easily and gracefully set his and Esme's bags through the opening. After he finished with theirs, he whisked my and Leah's suitcases away from me. Carlisle set ours in the back seemingly more effortlessly than he had done with his own.

I sauntered around to the side of the truck and opened the one of the doors the back. I thought Leah followed me to my side, so I held the door open for her, expecting her to step in and give me a little curtsy.

Hell, chivalry isn't _completely _dead.

Leah opened the door on the other side. She stepped in and climbed over the folded seat that was in the middle of the vehicle. She went to the back of the car, snapped her seat belt around her body. Kind of like she actually _needed _it.

Carlisle clapped his hand on my shoulder. "We have an appointment to make."

I took his cue and climbed into the truck. The seat next to my Quileute Pocahontas screamed for my presence. I launched myself over the seat and into the back with Leah. I buckled _my _seatbelt because _I _certainly needed it.

In fact, if there was a collision with another vehicle, I'm the only one who would be at risk of dying. That's very _assuring information._

Carlisle and Esme mad their ascents into the truck and folded their seats to their locked and upright positions. They sat and also put on their seat belts.

I wonder, am I the only one in here that usually doesn't give a fuck about safety? Even though I'm the most fragile?

Edward started the car and we were gone. Edward weaved through to early morning airport traffic like a pro.

Since his senses were a hell of a lot better than mine, I figured I could trust him behind the wheel. What Carlisle told a few moments ago finally sunk in. "An appointment? When? With who."

Carlisle peeked through the near-black tinted window. "Yes an appointment with the Volturi. We have about an hour until it begins, so we are going to check into our hotel."

Esme turned around to face me. "So that should give you plenty of time to freshen up. Although you look fine to me."

I had no idea who Esme was talking about. I looked horrid in my wrinkled black tee shirt. I wasn't sure if there was a way to get the deep-set wrinkles out of my pants. I was sure that I would need something a hell of a lot hotter than your average clothes iron.

Maybe if I could get Leah to roll over my pants a couple times...Maybe it would be more fun if I kept them on while she did...

Laughter erupt from the drivers seat. Edward adjusted the rear-view mirror at the top of the windshield. He looked at me through it. If vampires could cry, he probably would have had tears in his eyes from his amusement.

"Malakai, you're hilarious." Edward huffed between his throaty laughs.

I met his gaze through the rear-view mirror with my own. Then shrugged. "Why do we have to meet so early?"

"Aro likes to handle business as soon as he can." Carlisle answered.

It was nearing three A.M.. I wanted to cry a little because I usually don't roll out of bed until eleven. Or, when I've had at least a few hours to lay around before I start my day.

I yawned and my eyelids sagged a little. I felt Leah pull me closer to her. I rested my head on her shoulder and I heard her whisper softly: "Sleep."

"I'll sleep for a few minutes at the hotel." I said. "You should go to sleep. You haven't had any decent sleep in a while."

"And how do you know that." The question Leah asked me sounded more like a statement.

"From the behavior you've exhibited in the time that I've known you..."

"Damnit, never mind." Leah interrupted. "I don't know who annoys me more. You and your deductive reasoning, or Edward and his mind-raping."

"But you loooooove me." I dragged the L-word to see how Leah would react.

"Shut up." Leah retorted and sighed to herself.

"She didn't deny it." I announced.

Bella's trill laugh accompanied Edward's own, from the front of the car. "You're right. She didn't."

"Where is the hotel anyway?" I asked over the loud sounds of amusement in the front.

"About five minutes away." Carlisle answered. "Hold on, we'll be there in a bit."

* * *

"Will you have room service send up a glass of milk please?" I asked the bellboy that helped us up to our lush hotel room.

"Right away sir." The man smiled. Carlisle had already tipped him downstairs. It was a generous one I was sure. He turned away and whistled as he walked down the hall. I closed the door so that the automatic lock clicked, then I locked the deadbolt at the top.

Not that doing that would help if someone here wanted me. I am in a city run by vampires.

"What's with you and milk now?" Leah asked from one of the two green, jade-colored chairs that surrounded the small, circular obsidian table.

I strolled back into the main room. In my exhausted stupor, I tripped over my shoes I had taken off earlier, and luckily landed on the soft, king-sized bed. I pulled one of the pillows from the headboard and set it in front of me. Then, plopped my head into it face first.

"I don't know, I just feel kinda sick when I don't have any in me." I mumbled into the pillow. With Leah's hearing she understood what I was saying. "And I feel pretty awesome when I drink it. Don't ask why."

"Oh."

"You can take the shower first." I tried to lift my weary head from the all-too-inviting pillow beneath it. That ended in failure. "I don't think I can move just yet."

"Alright." She said.

I could barely hear Leah's footsteps on the soft, jade carpet as she walked to the bathroom. I didn't hear her shut the door. She probably saw that I was too tired to care about getting up to be a peeping tom at the moment.

The sound of water rushing through the confines of a shower head filled the bathroom. Next, was the sliding shower door, twice. When she opened it to get into the tub, and once when she closed it again.

I attempted purposefully falling asleep, but that would not work. I couldn't sleep when I was dirty. And traveling for extended periods of time, made me feel filthy.

The doorbell rang.

It was possibly the room service guy bringing up the milk.

I forced my weary body up from the bed. I stumbled toward the hotel room door that led to the hallway. Every step seemed to take more of my dwindling energy supply. On my way, I closed the bathroom door without so much as taking a glance in. Leah probably would have thwomped me if I did.

When I arrived at the door I opened it.

There stood the man in his cream work uniform. Instead of simply bringing up a glass of milk and the bill, he brought an entire cart with nothing on it but a white tablecloth, and some frothy milk.

An entire cart for one damn glass of milk.

He smiled at me. "Morning sir, do you need me to set this up for you?" He gestured at the nearly empty cart.

"No." I scratched the back of my head. "But is all this necessary?"

"It's protocol sir." He said and glanced at the cart himself with eyes that didn't completely fathom the reason why he brought it.

"It's pretty damn stupid." I said as I leaned against the door frame.

"My sentiments exactly sir."

Sir. That wasn't really a pronoun that I liked. It made the person who said it sound obsequious. Having a twenty-five year old call me, a fifteen year-old, sir, I didn't like.

I may not show it often, but I am a respectful person.

"Call me Malakai." I told him.

"Thanks," He handed me my glass of paradise in a cup. "I'm Frank."

I took a sip of milk from my glass. The froth, no doubt, left me a white mustache above my upper lip. I wiped it away with my sleeve. I'd be changing soon anyway. "Have a good night sir." I mimicked him.

"You too Malakai." He nodded and walked away without the huge dinner cart he brought.

"You can take this too." I tipped my glass toward the brushed steel contraption on wheels. "I'm not going to use it."

Frank turned and continued in his same direction walking backward. "I'm lazy. Just leave it outside your door like you did." He almost tripped over his own foot, but quickly corrected himself before he was beyond the point of no return on his trip down. "They'll send someone else to come pick it up."

I nodded, stepped back inside the hotel room and let the door click shut.. With even that minuscule amount of milk in my system, I felt spectacular. Granted, I was still tired, but I had more driving energy.

My mind was tired, but my body wasn't.

I downed the rest of my drink in a few gulps. Then, I pulled the glass from my lips as I let loose a deep breath to compensate for the few seconds I was drinking. I set the glass on the polished dark brown dresser and sat on the bed.

Leah knelt on the floor and rummaged around in the suitcase Esme had bought and packed for her before we left Forks. She wore nothing but her white towel that was wrapped around her, long enough to cover her tantalizing curves. Her hair was wet from the shower and stuck to her back.

"Feeling better?" She swung her head around toward me.

"Um, yeah." I answered.

Now I knew the secret to being physically and mentally fit for anything. Milk to keep my body ready, and a freshly showered Leah for my mind.

I really should get out of here before it's too late.

Leah surely already heard my pulse skyrocket and just didn't laugh. Knowing her, she probably would take this chance to kill whatever shred of comfortability and mental serenity I had. Easily. All she would have to do is touch the right spot, and whisper a few words.

"Um, I'm like gonna take a shower now." I turned and ran toward the bathroom door, not leaving her any time for a response. When my foot hit the tan tiles, I closed the door behind me and locked it.

I pulled off my clothes and threw them into a pile on the floor, in the corner. I'd get them up later, but right now, I was a little strapped for time.

I reached into the tub and pulled the single knob to turn on the hot water. Ignorantly, I jumped into the tub and was met by the remnants of Leah's scalding hot shower.

"Fuck!" I whispered. I almost yelled it again for dramatic effect, and because the water burned like hell.

There was a light tap on the door. "You alright?" I heard Leah ask outside.

"Yeah." I said.

The water cooled into something a little more human friendly. I didn't have much time to clean myself. Carlisle would be here in a few minutes. I rinsed the dirt I could practically feel, out of my hair. I unwrapped the other bar of French-smelling soap and rubbed it over my body. The suds fell when the water from the shower head hit them.

I turned the faucet into the off position and hopped out of the shower. I snatched one of the white towels from the rack and wrapped it around myself. Just then I realized that I had forgotten to grab some clothes for me to put on after my shower.

I opened the bathroom door and sauntered into the bedroom. Leah was fully clothed, and sitting on the side of the bed closest to the bathroom.

Leah watched me with the most mischievous look in her eyes. "I figured I'd get your clothes out for you. Since you didn't grab any before you ran like hell."

"Uh huh." I walked around her to the wrinkle-less jet black jeans, red tee shirt, and short-sleeved black dress shirt that were perfectly arranged on the bed. "Thank you."

"You're lucky we're pressed for time right now."

"Oh really?" I asked as I scooped the clothes into my arms.

"Yeah, you know I can't resist a perfectly good time to fuck with your head..." Leah cooed. "...And other things too."

Part of me wished that we hadn't had something to do. Just to see where exactly this could lead. The other part of me yearned to see my parents' killers brought to whatever sick justice the supernatural world had in store.

That part won me over.

I slowed my stride as I passed Leah. "I keep forgetting that it's mating season for you."

"Funny, you know I don't need your permission." Leah laid back on the bed. The springs creaked as she did. She chuckled. "I'm just a nice person."

"Yeah yeah."

When I made it into the bathroom I rushed to throw on my clothes. I pulled on the underclothes first, of course; then the jeans and red tee shirt. I pushed my arms through the sleeves of my dress shirt and left it unbuttoned. Next were the socks that I had forgotten to bring, damnit.

I heard some knocks. I didn't shut the bathroom door, so they must have been on the front door.

Leah zoomed past the open bathroom door, to open the door for, who was surely Carlisle, here to pick us up. She opened it. "Kai, we need to go."

"Alright, give me exactly one minute Lee." I raced out of the bathroom to my open suitcase on the ground.

I rummaged around in it for a pair of socks. I found them, slipped them on, and threw on my shoes as well.

I ran full throttle, past Leah and Carlisle, through the room door. I turned and grinned. "Let's roll."

_* * *_

"Carlisle, old friend, it has been a while." One of the men with translucent skin said. He was seated on his throne, as were the other two strangely skinned peopl – Vampires.

The room we were in was deceptively large. It was built of the same stone bricks that composed the excellently arched arches. I could only guess that this room was a part of them. On the walls, hung nothing but grandeur tapestries and sconces that held the bright torches that kept the room well lit.

"Aro," Carlisle nodded. "It has. Marcus." He gestured at the man sitting in the throne to the left of Aro's.

Marcus had a slender face and neck length hair. It looked like something from the 1800's the way it waved and sat on his neck. He seemed like he didn't ever feel anything that wasn't apathy. His dark robes covered every other part of him.

Marcus did nothing but stare at Carlisle.

"Caius." Carlisle waved his hand at the man on the opposite side of Aro.

His black robes covered him entirely. I couldn't even see his face.

Caius rose a pale hand and waved at Carlisle. Then returned to his stoic position.

It was then I felt someone watching me. I glanced around at our six-man formation. Leah stood nearest me behind Carlisle and Esme. Bella was to my left and Edward was to Leah's right. Carlisle told me earlier that this would be the safest way to handle things since I smell so...Appetizing.

Aro, Caius and Marcus had their entourage as well. Two male vampires stood at the bottom of the stairs. A girl and boy stood at the other side of the staircase that ascended to the thrones. They looked to be twins and about my age.

The boy was the taller of the two. He wore a black cloak like everyone else in the room. His blond hair was in a spike fashion. His expression almost directly mirrored Marcus' my-goldfish-just-died expression.

The girl was blond and shorter than her brother. She had a wicked smile to look so innocent. I couldn't really get much from her appearance because her cloak covered most of her body.

She eyed Leah. "Do we need the bitch here?"

Leah bristled and began to shake.

Edward's eyes drifted to meet Leah's trembling figure.

"Jane," Aro rubbed his hands together. They sounded like sandpaper being scraped against a slate wall. He could use some lotion. "Be respectful."

"No," I said as I wrapped my arm around Leah's waist, to calm her. "I was just asking myself the same question."

Leah turned her head to me. She let loose a low, angry growl.

I pointed at the girl named Jane. "So could you please excuse yourself and let the grown-ups handle business?" I chuckled and watched for a change in her behavior.

"Malakai." Carlisle said in his stern voice. From it, I got that he wanted me to stop and be on my best behavior for this meeting with the vampire overlords.

The other two vampires on the other side of the stairs laughed along with me.

Jane hissed and started to walk in my direction. Before she got too far, her brother rested his palm on her shoulder and pulled her back.

Talking shit to a vampire. A vampire that could absolutely rip me limb from limb quite easily. What the hell was I thinking. I don't know, but whatever it was, wasn't too damn smart.

But my balls must have grown three times their normal size.

"Thank you Alec." Aro said. "Now, Mister Malakai. All I ask is that you come up to my throne to give me a handshake."

I paused for a moment. What did a hand shake have to do with the price of tea in China? Nothing. Even though Aro looked decrepit, and had skin like an old onion, he could kill me quite easily as well. After I insulted one of his henchmen, asking me to leave my family, to give him a handshake sounded a little suspicious.

I was scared. Why the hell did I come here?

"With a handshake he can see every thought you have ever had." Edward said seeking to comfort. He had no doubt heard my thoughts. "It's much faster than explaining your whole fiasco verbally."

I let go of Leah. "I'll be alright." I told her as I walked forward.

_For your parents. For your parents. _I repeated to myself in my head as I ascended the stairs one by one. I was still uneasy in this room full of stereotypical vampires.

They drink human blood and according to all of the mythological creatures I have met, I smell delicious.

I stopped when I arrived at the final stair of my trek. Aro's throne was directly in front of me. I did my best not to display and sign of fear. My knees didn't shake, my eyes were calm and my jaw was set.

Aro freed his hand from the black cloak that everyone in the room just had to have. He held it outstretched, it waited for mine.

I clasped his hand. Honestly, I thought I'd be cringing in pain from Aro's mind reading. I wasn't, so that helped further cleanse me of my fear.

Edward can read minds from afar, but Aro's has to fondle my palm? The supernatural world just cracks me up sometimes.

Aro released my hand and set his on the armrests of his huge throne. "This is interesting. You were bitten."

"You were bitten by a child of the moon?" Caius sounded alarmed. His arm thrust out in front of him, pointing at me. "Guards, kill him!" He shouted.

Before I had a chance to react, I was already airborne. Promptly when the words left Caius' lips, Jane was the first to get a hand on me. She launched me upward and was already at my side before I peaked in height of my unexpected flight.

"No." Aro said in the next split second. "If he is harmed when he hits the ground, it will be your head Jane."

I heard her hiss as she plucked me from the air. We both landed softly on the ground thanks to Aro's blatant threat.

Caius was outraged. "Aro, he is a danger. Why are you allowing him to live?!"

"In case you have forgotten brother." Aro began. "He is the son of an old friend. And it was my messenger that bit him. Somehow, there are Children of the Moon that you have failed to exterminate brother."

Caius grumbled something unintelligible and sat back down on his throne. He refused to look in my or Aro's direction.

"We will not punish you for our mishaps." Aro said. "But do not make us regret it."

"No problem." I said. "But...I know that this isn't the best time to ask this but, is there a bathroom I can use? Near death experiences take their toll on my bladder."

Everyone in the room looked at me like I was an idiot. At first I thought it was because this really wasn't the right time. But I thought about it a little more. I thought about how the bathroom was usually always free at the Cullen's. I finally realized that vampires didn't need to relieve their bladders, since they stopped working eons ago.

"Oh...I'll hold it." I laughed and scratched the back of my head.

"With regard to your parents' murder." Aro returned to the reason I was here in Volterra, in his throne room. "We will have an investigation and inform you with our progress at least once every month."

I was okay with that. I didn't expect that when I arrived in Volterra that heads would roll. I know that things such as this take time. I could deal with it for the time being. "Thank you."

"We will handle the best we can. There is nothing the Volturi cannot do." Aro grinned broadly. "You can return to your family now."

I turned to walk down the stairs. I was so happy that something was being done about my parents' murders that I had to force myself _not _to skip down the stairs back to my Leah. It took my best efforts to remain smileless and to keep my face melancholic.

"That's right." I heard Jane whisper under her breath. "Now run along home to mommy and daddy. Oh, wait. I forgot, they got killed. Boo. Hoo."

Fucking bitch.

Her comment angered me. I was more angry than I can ever remember being. I radiated so much heat. Was it from the anger? I don't know. I just know I wanted the bitch to suffer and everything I could do would be of assistance this time.

I began to tremble violently. My vision blurred and my hearing faded completely.

I exploded.

I was on all fours. My eyesight and hearing returned twofold. I could hear the people walking and talking on the streets above this subterranean castle. I could smell how truly stale the air in the room was. I could see the grains of sand in the cracks of the slowly deteriorating stone walls.

Everything was in high definition now, baby.

I looked down at what I could see of myself. Where my hands should have been, were paws covered with white fur. Erect claws jutted out from them. Muscle fibers everywhere in my body twitched with excitement. Begging me give them a go. I could feel an extra appendage where my tailbone usually would have ended. I had full control of it.

I phased into a snow leopard.

I glanced around me. Everyone in the room stared at me in awe. My vampire family stood around me in a half circle.

The Volturi onlooked with surprise as well. Caius jumped to his feet with his eyes bulging. Marcus gave me a baleful look, shrugged and looked away.

Aro's expression hadn't changed at all. He wore the same genuine smile he had when I left his throne.

Jane and Alec were...

"Jane!" I tried to yell. A roar escaped my mouth instead as I lunged at her full speed. My four legs carried me faster than I had ever been. The room around me should have blurred with my speed. But everything was in perfect clarity.

An almost completely transparent mist began emanating from Alec. It stretched toward me and stopped about a fifteen feet away from me. It stayed there, stagnant.

_Malakai! Stop! _Leah shouted.

I screeched to a halt and turned to face her. Leah wasn't where she was when I began my murderous mission.

I heard growls from between me and Jane. I pivoted toward them.

Leah was there in her wolf form. She braced herself to be ready for something... _So you can hear me._

_Move Leah. _I told her with my mind.

_No. _She answered. _You see that lick-a-dick vampire over there? _She tossed her head in Alec's direction. _Touch that mist and you lose all of your senses. Making you an easy kill._

Leah and I stared at each other for a while. To anyone outside of our...Mindlink, it would seem that we were ready to be at one another's throats.

Even as a in my animal form she was huge. I was about as tall as her thigh. Where as I was very very slender in my cat form, she was quite lithe for the wolves I heard, but still, Leah had muscle upon muscles under her lengthy fur. Leah's teeth could all be concealed by her muzzle. It didn't feel like I could hide the two fangs that extended from the roof of my mouth and stopped after they were well past my jaw.

To anyone outside of our...Mindlink, it would seem that we were ready to be at one another's throats.

_Damnit. _ I wanted Jane's cold dead heart in my hands – claws, so I could shred it to pieces.

I tried to strafe around Leah.

She repositioned herself so that I didn't have a clear path to Jane and her brother's sense-numbing mist. _Calm down damnit. Killing her means that we'll have a fight on our hands. One that we don't any fucking chance of winning, so turn the hell around. _A snarl ripped from Leah's bared teeth.

That wasn't a request. It was an order. An order that I would obey at that.

I backed away. I made sure not to let my tail hang between my legs as I cantered back to Carlisle and Esme. I stood laid at their feet and licked my paws, to give myself something to do.

Esme knelt down and petted my head. She shot a murderous glance at Jane. It looked so weird on Esme's normally serene face.

_Malakai. Thanks. _Leah's thoughts were like a whisper in my clouded head.

"Jane," Aro said. "Since you were kind enough to be the catalyst for this, Malakai and Miss Clearwater need cloaks. Go fetch them."

Jane stormed past us, and for the first time, I could see a vampire when they would normally blur with speed.

"I think you all should go when Jane returns with the cloaks." Caius said. His calm was returning to him slowly.

"A splendid idea brother." Aro gazed onward. "And I do believe that Malakai has school. Get him back to Forks friend." Aro laughed. "We don't need any ignorant shapeshifers making trouble for us."

"Until next time." Carlisle bowed out.

* * *

**A/N: So, what do you think? Where should I go from here? PM me or leave a review with your opinions. **

**Thanks.**


	15. Summerboy in Winter?

**First off,**

**Thanks for the reviews/story alerts/favorites last chapter guys. Much appreciated. I discovered that I can actually reply to reviews I receive, so expect those to be coming your way. **

**I've decided to read through with Cocoa's Wanted, Needed, Loved. It's a very good fic, search it on the site, you won't be disappointed.**

**And happy Thanksgivng,**

**Meech**

* * *

**Malakai  
**

**Volterra**

"_Look at me damnit." Leah shouted at me as we sat on the hotel bed, after our early morning conference with the vampire overlords._

"_Yeah," I looked her over for the umpteenth time. I saw her tawny skin, her long wavy hair, her dark brown eyes._

_What I couldn't see was why she was being so damn paranoid._

"_Nothing?" She asked. Her voice lowered in volume and she sounded a little sad._

_Why?_

"_Not really."_

"_So you didn't imprint on me?" The hope that was so vibrant in Leah's brown eyes a few seconds earlier faded. _

"_No. I don't need to." I told her._

"_Why?" Leah asked the question I repeated to myself in my mind during our entire exchange._

"_Because." I shifted around nervously on the floral print blanket. It didn't make any sense. I had completely come to terms with this, yet saying it was difficult. "I...I love you enough."_

_Leah threw her hands around me in a tight embrace. She rested her chin on my shoulder so I couldn't see her face. "Sometimes that's not enough."_

_It was then that everything came into perspective. The magnanimity of what _didn't _happen filled my head with questions._

_If I didn't imprint on Leah, then who would I imprint on?_

_Is it guaranteed that I'm going to imprint?_

_More importantly, would Leah be right? _

_Would loving her enough not be enough?_

_I hope it is. I sincerely do._

_

* * *

_

**Leah**

**La Push**

"Hurry up!" I pounded on the bathroom door at my house. I told Malakai to strip down so we could get to work on him controlling and maintaining his phasing. It didn't make sense for him to ruin perfectly good clothes by ripping them to shreds as he phased. I struck the door again. "Don't make me bring the fucking door down."

"No!" He shrieked.

It was funny as hell. I felt like I was some perverted boy trying to sneak a peek at some innocent girl as she changed clothes.

My God, with Malakai, everything was backward.

But I wouldn't trade it for anything in the sick, twisted world we live in.

"C'mon, I don't have all night." I pleaded. I didn't have all night. In about two hours or so, it would be my turn for patrol with Embry. Jacob would be here any minute to help me get this kitten into shape, and, to take Malakai to Billy's so that his father could have a crack at Malakai's lineage.

The bathroom door creaked open slowly. Malakai glanced through the crack in the doorway he made.

_Damn kid._ I grabbed the edge of the door and yanked it open. I had to be careful because if I had given too big a pull, I would have snatched the flimsy plywood door from its hinges. My mom would be pissed. She would probably have Charlie or Jacob come and fix it. Joy.

"Leah!" Malakai squealed. He stood there nervously in his shirtless state. Sure, he didn't take off the khaki shorts that he bought a week earlier, but I got the feeling this is as naked as I would get him.

With all of the Quileute shifters, they caught colds and were actually sick _before _they made the switch. The same went for me.

Malakai just got really pissed at that vamp bitch, Jane. He phased and had a seething hatred for her. I could feel it in his thoughts while he was phased. When he finally subsided his anger enough to return to his human form, it was _then _that the changes were made.

Malakai had grown four inches to a nice 5'5, only three inches shorter than my 5'8. His thin, wiry arms now had some degree of developing muscle. The once nonexistent abdominal muscles were replaced by a healthy looking four, almost six pack.

That was where the changes ended though. Aside from him craving milk and meat, preferably fish, all damn day, and the whole healing incredibly fast deal, there was nothing else. He didn't run a high temperature like me and the others. Everyone else said that they felt more confident after phasing, but Malakai was just as foolish as he ever was.

"Let's go into the backyard." I said. It was dark outside, and the nearest neighbors were a few acres away. So, no one would see or hear Kai's practice of the magic that was previously, Quiluete exclusive.

I led the way out, into the of my house. I had to glance over my shoulder every so often to make sure Malakai didn't bail on me and run back upstairs. I walked out of the door and held it for him.

"What's up Leah?" Jake said to me from the darkness of the night. Thanks to these wolf eyes, I could see him, even in the absence of light. "Still touching this little boy?"

"Shut it Jake." I snapped playfully. I turned to Malakai. "Phase now."

"Not on the first date." He said and laughed lightly at his own joke. "I'm not that type of gal."

Jake pressed a hand to his ribs as he laughed. I hoped he'd get a cramp from laughing that hard. "Yeah Leah, you could at least buy him dinner first."

I rolled my eyes. Guys always had time to play when I had something to do.

Jacob's face returned to his uncharacteristic seriousness. He was in alpha mode now. Great. "Okay, enough play." Jacob said as if he had read my mind, like we were linked outside of our wolfish selves. "Let's get this show on the road. You do know what to do, right Malakai?"

"Leah explained it to me a while back." Malakai answered and rubbed his hazy-white eyes with his hands. "Lemme give it another go."

Malakai sat on the grass and closed his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a few deep breaths. A few silent moments passed, then I recognized the violent shaking that came with phasing as it rippled throughout his body. The next second, Malakai disappeared.

In his place, reappeared a silverish-white snow leopard. The half moon's light glistened off of his shiny white pelt.

The anger, the insanity and madness I saw contort this normally serene face last week was no where to be found. My feline of a boyfriend yawned with a wide mouth, his huge fangs gleamed in the faint light. For a moment, I was afraid of them.

Malakai completed his yawn and laid lazily on the lawn. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye.

I was utterly baffled by how beautiful he was in the moonlight. If I wasn't so damn self conscious, I think I might have drooled.

Jacob tossed his flannel shirt to the ground and strapped the too small pants he was wearing, to his ankle with the band that all wolves of the pack carried now. The grass beneath them rustled quietly. Then, his unmistakable roar bellowed into the frost-coated countryside when he phased.

Jacob and Malakai were watching me, no doubt waiting for me to phase so we could get started.

I balanced my hands on my hips as I glared at them. They still continued to gaze at me as the cocked their heads in confusion.

Finally, Jacob got the message first and snapped his head the other way. He relayed it to Malakai and Malakai did the same.

I stripped off my clothes and strapped my black jeans to my right ankle, and my short-sleeved brown shirt to my left. It was always annoying to carry more clothes than the guys, but even with the extra weight, I could outrun them. Then I phased before anyone had a chance to see me without clothing, or fur.

_...And, being a wolf... _Jacob was lecturing when I entered the mindlink of the pack.

_Leopard. _Malakai corrected. I guessed I'll have to be the one to teach him to respect Jacob as his alpha and not interrupt him while he speaks.

_Shifter, of my pack, means you have responsibilities now._ Jacob continued. He didn't use that damned Alpha timbre. As far as I could see, it wasn't needed.

_Damnit. _Malakai complained.

_We're going to get you a patrol schedule and partner. _Jacob ignored the bitching that was going on in Malakai's head. _And you have to keep a tighter grip on your emotions. We can't have you flipping cars or humping some chick's leg like a horny Chihuahua._

I growled at that last part. Malakai wouldn't do it, but still, the thought of him humping anyone's leg kinda pissed me off. Especially if it wasn't mine.

Malakai coughed a breathy sound. It was probably laughter at my raging emotion.

He would have to find a way to laugh while phased like Jake's mix between a whimper and a bark. I copied it because it damn sure didn't feel good for your vocal chords trying to laugh like a human, as a wolf.

_Yessir._ Malakai said like one of those rappers in the music library of his iPhone. He still laid in the same position he was in when he phased. _I have a question though._

_Shoot. _Jake answered.

_Do I have to wear capri pants like everyone else in the pack? _Malakai asked. There was no mocking tone, or humor in his voice. It was a serious question. _Alice kinda scarred me when I had to go to the mall dressed like...That._

I half barked and whimpered my ass off. I'd been giving all the guys shit for wearing those girlish styled pants for ever. I mean, they hang around each other with no shirts on, and those short legged pants. People were bound to think something.

And, I'm glad Malakai didn't want it thought about him. That meant he was even more mine.

_No. _Jake rose to his paws and shook his fur clean of the foliage that had accumulated on his coat. _Let's go for a run. _He said and changed the subject. Jacob broke into a relaxed running speed toward the forest.

_Try to keep up Kai. _I ran at full speed to catch up to Jake. When I finally did catch him, I slowed down to follow him at his right flank. I didn't even have to think about it. All this time being his beta, kinda made this a habit.

I took a glance over my left shoulder. I was so sure that I left Malakai in the dust choking on a twig or something.

He was right behind me. _Woooooo hoooo. _Malakai shouted in his mind. He was enjoying the run. Good.

I forgot that this was his first time going for a run like this. When he phased last week had didn't have a chance to savor the speed at which he was traveling. He couldn't feel the wind rush through his fur, or hear the crickets sing as their melody exactly matched your thudding paws against the ground.

Jake, Kai and I rushed through the woods at speeds that were too fast for the human eye to process. The tall fir trees loomed over us providing cover. The insects around us continued with their lives as if what we were was completely natural. Most birds were nested and sleeping with their young. Although, we did occasionally pass an owl or two as they hunted.

_Okay, you're doing good so far Kai. _Jacob rounded another turn and banked left. _Leah, go. Follow her Kai, let's see how fast you can move._

_If you can catch me, there might be something in it for you later. _I hinted suggestively and took off full throttle. I loosed a howl into the dark of night.

Malakai quickened his pace as well. As if answering my howl, he opened his mouth and uttered a roar that would have made Mufasa proud. Surprisingly, he was able to keep on my ass as we wove in and out of trees, boulders, and whatever else was in the forest that could possibly stop us.

Malakai staggered as what I said finally sunk in, and his mind went crazy with ideas as to what I was talking about. It didn't start out in the gutter though. First he thought I was talking about another delicious feast like the one I prepared for him on Christmas. Then, an innocent date to the park or something.

That's Malakai, always so innocent.

Eventually, he rethought about what I said and traced the meaning I had heavily laced in my words. He was replaying his memories from the time we first met at the Cullen's place. More specifically, the kiss. It was magical to him. He was shocked at first, but after the initial rush of adrenaline had taken its course, he knew then and there that I was who he wanted to be with.

Malakai was so happy...And afraid that my feelings may not have mirrored his own. He didn't know what he would do if I would have rejected him...

...Then his mind went blank. The only thing in it was the pounding of his paws against the soft pine needles of the forest. That, and his desire to beat me in a race.

Fat chance.

_Sorry._ Malakai apologized, although I had no idea why. He pushed his blurring feet even faster.

He was gaining on me.

_Comes with the territory._ I narrowly avoided stepping on a possum.

I looked back at Malakai to see how close he was to me. He wasn't on my heels like I'd expected.

He was on the ground a good twenty yards away from me, struggling to get to his feet.

Worry shot throughout my body and I doubled back to get him faster than I had ever run.

_What's wrong? _Jacob and I both asked at the same time. Jake must have gathered something from my worried thoughts.

_Nothing. _Malakai lied. He forced his feet to support his feline frame. Pain wracked his entire body.

_Don't lie to me. _I spat coldly. When I was close enough to him, I nudged him lightly with my nose and he fell back to the ground with a heavy thump. _Don't forget I can hear every damn thing you're thinking._

_My body. It just hurts, I'll live. _Malakai told me. He believed it, but I hoped for MY sake that he wasn't lying again. I couldn't tell. _Back up._

_No. _I said softly. I wouldn't leave him like this.

_Leah. Please do as he says. _An unfamiliar, feminine voice entered my head. _He's going to be fine after this happens._

_After what happens? _I asked. The person in my head was a stranger, but I could worry about that later, Malakai is more important right now.

_He's going to phase again._ The woman answered. _Just get away from him quickly. He wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing he hurt you._

_How do you know? _It was difficult for me to back away from Malakai as he writhed in pain.

He pitifully clawed at the air as he laid on his side. A single tear escaped from his eyelid.

I fought the urge to run to his side. To make some pitiful attempt at comforting him. _Malakai..._

_My son is lucky to have a partner such as yourself._

_Your son? Then you're..._ Was I seriously talking to who I thought I was?

_Yes, I'm Malakai's mother, Kata-Keeya_ She said.

I felt someone rubbing against my fur. I glanced over, it was Jacob with a perplexed expression on his face.

He stood next to me, unfaltering.

_What's happening to him? _I asked.

_The lycan that I was unable to defeat before he bit my son. _ I could feel her seething with anger, just like Malakai had a few days earlier. _His venom now flows freely in Malakai's blood. It's changing him, tainting him into something my people sought to destroy._

Malakai exploded. When I could see him again, he was still on the ground. He had morphed into what I tried to protect him from on the beach. A lycan.

However, unlike that Brazilian bastard we killed on the beach, Malakai didn't resemble a dog. He still retained his feline features. His head was still shaped like a cat's, however, his white hair had grown longer at the crown of his head and extended down his back.

Malakai's form was more human-like. He had arms, and legs. From his forearms, something jutted from his skin. They looked like bones. Three of them grew out of his skin from the middle of his arm, and they extended down to just above his hands. Bones also grew from his knees, and went to his feet in the same fashion.

His hands had thumbs, so I guessed he could use them. At the end of each finger and toe were long, strong looking, silver claws.

And his entire body was still covered by the beautiful, translucent white and silver fur. Malakai was a monster, but he was a pretty one.

Jacob and I couldn't believe what we were seeing. We both watched silently until we were sure it was over.

Malakai's eyes closed and he phased back into his human self. He panted silently in the bright light of the full moon that filtered down to the forest floor through the trees. He was covered in sweat and laid unmoving. The pain of his body accustoming itself to the painful changes must have made him pass out.

_My son. _Kata-Keeya said solemnly. _Leah, he's fine now. Take him home, get him dressed and proceed with your evening._

_What about you? _I couldn't help but ask. She was Malakai's mother after all.

_I go back to the spirit world to watch over you and my son. _I heard her take a deep breath. _Leah. Thank you again. Let my son know that I love him dearly, no matter what he is._

Jacob phased back and went to pick up Malakai. He carried him over to me, and sat him on my back. He draped Kai's arms and legs around me on both sides, so that he would be somewhat secure as I carried him back to my house. He phased again.

_Mind telling me what that was about? _Jacob asked and led the way back home. _And about patrol, don't worry about it. I'll take your place tonight. Billy still wants to see Kai though, so you can let the old fart interrogate him and let me know what you guys find out._

_Ten-four alpha sir. Over._ I said, and followed Jake through the woods. I felt Malakai shuffle around on my back, then grip my fur so he didn't fall.

*** ***** *******

"Alright Leah, I'll catch you later." Jake called from the back door. "Don't fondle the kid. Edward'll tell me if you do." He stepped out and I heard him close it behind him. A few seconds later, his howl ripped through the forest.

I rummaged through the closet to find something Malakai could wear, he ripped his last fresh clothes when he phased. I mean, really, we should just bring his entire wardrobe over here or something – or at least a week's worth of clothes.

Malakai snored lightly in my bed. I pulled the covers over him because he didn't really have any clothes on. At least I gave him _some _decency. His hair was a mess on the pillow under his head. The kid could use a comb or something, seriously.

As I watched him, it dawned on me that he brought his backpack with him from the Cullen's. I scanned the room, trying to locate his bag. I found it at the base of the wall near my open bedroom door. I grabbed it from the floor and opened it.

Inside were some clothes that he probably planned to wear to school tomorrow. Oh well, I could wash them tonight, or we could swing back by the crypt – the Cullen's place I mean, and snag some from there later tonight, or early tomorrow morning.

I walked back over to the bed to wake him. Before I did, I saw how cute he looked while he slept. It's not like me to get mushy over shit like this, but, this was my imprintee, so I could afford to bypass standard Leah protocol for a minute or two.

Malakai hugged the huge body pillow I bought last year. He rested his head on it as he slept. It was kind of how he sleeps when I'm next to him. The only difference was that he didn't fidget around as much because he was getting too hot.

For a moment, I wanted to curse this damn wolf skin. But my rational mind got the best of me. If it wasn't for the transformation, I wouldn't have imprinted on Kai. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't give the kid a passing glance.

I couldn't help but smile. "Damn, is it healthy to love this hard?" I murmured to myself. "Probably not, but hell, I've got forever to live with it." I answered my own question.

My mom's old grandfather clock sounded its hourly song from downstairs. I shot a glance to the cheap digital one on my nightstand. It read eight o'clock. I suppose I should wake Kai up so he can get ready to head over to Billy's.

I couldn't bring myself to do it. My body had this aching desire for him. Kai's lips were motionless. I eyed them.

I understand that he's a kid. But him being young doesn't stop my needs, my desires. My self control is waning. I wanted him so badly. I felt bad about it, I'd been strong enough to curb this feeling thus far.

Maybe a kiss?

I leaned forward. My soft breaths blew the stray stands of Malakai's white hair. My lips lightly touched his and I entangled them. I didn't want to do anything too extreme, I'd save that for when he was conscious, and could handle it. I settled for a lick of his bottom lip before I pulled away for air.

_It would be so awkward if Malakai woke up right now. _I thought.

This kiss was different than the others I'd given him. His heart wasn't racing and his youthful inexperience didn't get in the way.

I slightly nudged Malakai with my hand on his cover-less, bare shoulder.

He blinked twice before his eyes finally focused on me. He licked his lips and scrutinized the taste. "Leah, what did you..."

"Are you feeling alright?" I asked him. I had to change the subject some how.

"Yeah..." He pulled his arm out of the blankets and touched my hand. "Thank you." He said. He pulled back his hand slowly, closed his eyes, and turned away. "For everything."

"No problem." I didn't know where this melancholic feeling came from. I was sure he caught me stealing another kiss from him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Malakai said calmly. Suddenly, he began laughing hysterically. His body bounced every time the wickedly demented sound escaped from his mouth.

I was worried for a second. Maybe his involuntary involvement in the supernatural world had finally caught up with him. I could relate with the losing a father because of what I am. But, I still had Seth and Sue. They helped me through the rough patches.

His parents fought bravely, but in the end, Malakai was left high and dry. There was no one for him to depend on, no one to turn to.

Malakai managed to soothe whatever it was that was causing him to laugh a laugh so filled with pain. "It's ironic." He said quietly.

"What?" I asked. I wanted some insight as to what was killing him on the inside. So that I could see to it that it never happened again.

"I vowed to kill those damn lycans; all of them." He began. "I hated them more than anything I'd ever felt hate toward." Malakai spoke with venom heavily lacing his voice. "I did everything I could to hate them, and now I am one."

I didn't know what to tell him. His eyes were cold as they stared numbly at my hand. That look alone told me to leave anything I had to say, unsaid. I hugged him and closed my eyes, as I exhaled a deep breath.

"In any event." Malakai tried to sound a little happier, but I was sure that was only for my benefit. "I need to get to Jacob's dad's place. Don't you have patrol?"

"You're mother loves you dearly, no matter what you are." I answered, it seemed like the wrong time to say it, but I had given my word that I would tell him. "I love you too." I added on.

"I know." Malakai said. Some of the life returned to his eyes.

He pulled back the covers and climbed out of bed. His white eyebrows furrowed. He could tell something was wrong. He shivered. "You feel a breeze in here?"

"Uhhh." In all the melodrama I forgot to remind Malakai he fucked up his clothes when he phased. "Here?" I handed him the clothes I had bundled up under my arm.

He took them and stared at me quizzically. Then, glanced down at himself and his face reddened with embarrassment. "Leah!" He squealed and jumped back into bed, pulling the comforter over himself.

"Sorry?" I apologized.

"Don't you 'sorry' me Leah!" He pulled the comforter up over his head. "I know exactly what you were trying to do. You...You..." He tried to think of some insult.

_Amuse me kid._ I thought and balanced my hands on my hips.

"Cradle robbing vanquisher of virgins!" Malakai shouted from his makeshift hiding place.

I couldn't help but smile. That one was original.

"Really now?" I narrowed my gaze on the bed. "Stay still so I can _vanquish_ you." I jumped onto the bed over him. I wrestled him around so that he laid on his back. I straddled him at the waist with my legs, and pinned his arms above his head with both my hands.

"Can I tap out?" Malakai laughed. This time, the laugh was genuine; happy. That's the way they should sound. Not like some maniacal laugh from the script of some horror movie villain.

I nodded my head no.

"C'mon Leah, I don't have any clothes on. Aaaand we gotta go." He tried to reason with me.

"Billy can wait a little longer." I told him. "Would you like it if I didn't have any clothes on either?" I released his arms to pull my shirt over my head. I smiled down at him. I didn't grab his arms again after I was finished. There wasn't a reason, they were where I left them a few seconds earlier. "All you have to do is the honors," I pulled at the black bra strap on my shoulder. It caused some of my cleavage to spill out the top of the cups. That only added to the effect.

"And I'll give you a night that you'll always remember." I winked and licked my lips slowly.

I wasn't only teasing him this time. If he did find the courage somewhere to do what I'd asked him, I'd make good on my promise. It's not like I don't want to be his first. Malakai has to be ready is all. That's what I'm waiting on anyway.

He watched me with a dumbfounded expression on that silly little face of his.

"It opens in the front if that's what you wanted to know." I giggled a bit at the way his face grew deeper and deeper in its, now red, complection.

Malakai's hands fumbled climbed their way up to my bra hook. They fumbled around it. Was he seriously trying to undo it without touching me. Wrong move kid.

I faked a moan of pleasure to see what he would do.

His eyes bulged and he let his hands fall. "Fuck it, you win." He said a little disappointedly.

"Pity too," I said. "I was looking forward to it too." That wasn't a lie.

Malakai broke his stare and looked sideways. As if I needed eye contact to see how embarrassed he was. "I need to get dressed." He muttered quietly.

"Alright." I said, my smile still hadn't faded. "Make it quick, I'll be waiting in the car." I walked out of the my bedroom, down the stairs. I stopped at the door and patted my right pocket to make sure I had the keys in my pocket, and walked into the cool, night air.

Malakai would probably rather drive to Billy's, than to phase back into his animal. I'll give him some time to come to terms with the animal that is now a part of him.

Malakai's automotive gift from Carlisle looked out of place in my driveway. So would any state-of-the-art, one-hundred-thousand dollar, hard top convertible car that was sitting in my feeble driveway.

I reached into my pocket and took out the keys. I hit the unlock button on the remote twice to unlock both doors even though Malakai wasn't outside yet. It was force of habit.

I opened the driver's side door and sat in the plush, black leather seat. I pulled the door shut and put the keys into the ignition.

The two bright, white lights above my head illuminated. The steering wheel lowered to the height I set it to earlier. "Going for a ride?" The feminine voice of the car's navigation system asked.

Evidently, Malakai had the chance to finish that section of the owners manual for setting personal messages for the different sets of keys.

"I wish." I answered, even though I wouldn't get a response from the cybernetic woman. I hit the lever on the side of my seat, and let it recline until I was comfortable. I tapped the touch screen console and turned on the radio.

Miley Cyrus's _Party in the USA_ played on the station Malakai had left on. I tapped the screen again. That song had to go.

I skimmed through the local radio stations. Nothing I was interested in there. I searched the seemingly endless channels of XM satellite radio for something decent. Nothing there either. So, I went to the MP3 library of the XLR's hard drive.

I touched, tapped, and flicked my way through the different genres, artists, and song titles. Nothing really seemed to spark my interest, so I poked the screen where it said "random," and vowed not to touch the damn radio after that.

A guitar rift and drum accompaniment was crisp in the Bose speakers. I glanced at the upper left corner of the windshield for song information. It was Lady Gaga's _Summerboy._ I nodded my head to the rhythm of the song.

This type of music wasn't really my cup of tea. But, Malakai liked it, so I'll learn to tolerate it.

Speaking of Malakai; he descended the stairs from the porch at a sluggish pace. Even at his reduced speed, he was tripping over his feet. Being a shifter should have increased his coordination. It did. He opened the passenger door and took a seat.

"Let's go." Malakai fastened his seat belt. He always had to be reminded when he was fragile. Now that he isn't as breakable, all of a sudden safety comes first. "I'm tired."

"Bluetooth Pairing Successful." Said the car's voice. It was also displayed on the windshield.

I turned the keys to the right and the V-8 roared to life. We backed out of the driveway, and I pointed the car in the right direction. I threw the optional stick shift into drive and tapped the gas. A few seconds later, the car was howling down the street.

"Since when do you like Lady Gaga?" Malakai had finally taken notice of the song. "I had you pegged as more of an Alternative gangsta rap chick." He laughed to himself.

"Since when do you ask me questions?" I quipped. I made a right turn. "You usually deductive reason your answers, Mr. Detective." I mocked him. "You probably know what color my panties are."

"Black." Malakai said. "To match the bra you're wearing. Right?"

"It was rhetorical, captain obvious." I laughed. He was right on the money. "How do you know?"

"This one isn't rhetorical, is it?"

"Just answer the damn question."

"Well." Malakai shifted his white irises to the upper left corner of his eyes. "While you're not the daintiest, or prissiest girl I've met. You like consistency."

Correct again.

I turned the wheel onto the road that would lead to Billy's. We had a clear view of First Beach from the elevated street.

"_Let's get lost you can take me home."_ I sang along with the chorus of the song. I never did tell Malakai that I could sing. Possibly because I didn't believe it myself. Even if everyone around me told me, and tried to reinforce the fact whenever they could. "_Somewhere nice we can be alone..._"

"Stop screwing with me." He chuckled. "I might take you up on the offer." Malakai shifted in his seat as he bluffed.

"Who says I'm playing." I turned off the road and into a little parking lot for the beach. There was no one here. I turned off the engine, but left the car on. "You had the chance back at my place." I reminded him.

Malakai got quiet and turned his head to look out the window into the night.

Hanging around Malakai, something was bound to rub off on me. I guess it had to be his deductive prowess. I could see that he wanted me. He just didn't know how to go about it. Every time I'd mention something like this to him, he'd never flat out refuse it. He'd clam up and hope for me to handle the rest.

I climbed over the storage compartments in the middle of the car, onto him. He turned his head back to face me, but his eyes still didn't make the trip to my face. I tapped the switch on the side of the seat for it to recline as far back as it would. When it stopped, it was about a 120 degree angle.

"Malakai." I whispered too quietly for human ears to hear. He finally looked at me. "You can't fool me. It's clear as day. I don't need detective's notes or our sensitive eyesight to see it." I leaned forward.

Malakai said nothing with his mouth. His body language did all the talking. His heart fluttered and his palms became sweaty.

"Do what feels natural." I told him as the radio continued to play. "_Have a little summer fun."_ I whispered into his ear as the song ended. I nibbled on his earlobe as I slowly pulled away.

I couldn't give any less of a shit that there was still snow on the ground, or that it was still the first month of the year.

My body was so sensitive. I could feel every movement that Malakai made. I could feel his muscles flex when he pulled me closer to him. I could feel the cartilage in his knees cushion the grinding in his knees as they grew accustomed to whatever weight the seat didn't absorb. Everything.

I touched my lips to his. Malakai did his best to keep up with me this time. Because he was, I slowed it down for him. I let him lead this one. I felt his relatively cool palm caress the back of my head. Then it fell to my shoulder.

He let me go and gasped for more air. His eyes were full of love; full of longing.

I dodged his lips as the came for me. He was still panting for air, and I didn't want to suffocate him. I kissed the nape of his neck.

Malakai raised his head slightly, and dropped it back onto the seat. He murmured something unintelligible, even with my hearing.

His hands explored my body. They traversed my long legs. He tried not to linger around my well developed lower body.

I wouldn't have minded if they he did. That's the thing about imprinting; I can't seriously tell Malakai no. He didn't know how much power his mere existence held over me.

Malakai's hands stopped at my lower back. They rested there as he let me take over for the time being.

I pulled him closer to me after I needed air. I hugged him tightly as I could without suffocating him. He returned the embrace and his white eyes looked exhausted. I kissed his forehead tenderly and went back for one last, brief taste of his lips.

We laid there for hours to come. We were both burning up. Malakai's heat wasn't due to a normal, abnormal body temperature. It was just a well done make out session, if I do say so myself. Maybe next time he could literally _t__ake me home. _No rush, but sooner, rather than later.

We were definitely late for Billy's questioning. We definitely wouldn't be making it tonight either. And I definitely didn't care.

All that mattered right now was my _S__ummerboy._

All I could want; all I could need, was all I had with me.

Malakai.

* * *

**Well, that was the first intimate moment I have ever written. Anyone with expertise in that field, please, please, send me a private message. I have some questions to ask.**

**As for the next chapter. I'm going to need more time than usual. I have a 10pg research paper due in a week or so, and two shorter essays for school, in addition to other misc work and sports. So hang with me guys.**

**Meech =)**


	16. I Never Saw This Coming

**Sorry it took so long to update guys. I had a nasty case of writer's block/no inspiration. But never fear, the chapter is here now.**

**One question I'd like to ask you all (please answer in reviews) is:**

**What themes have you guys found in this story?**

**And without further adieu...**

* * *

**Malakai**

As dawn broke, I opened my tired eyes. My arms were wrapped around Leah in our usual position, with me getting the most comfortable place in the world: her embrace. The warmth from her body made the sheets I had wrapped around me seem unnecessary.

Leah was next to me, her chest rose and fell as she breathed gently. She was still asleep.

I didn't remember getting back to Leah's place.

I laid unmoving as I recollected last nights events in my head.

After Leah, Jake and I finished my exhibition run, which I was going to win by the way...Had I not been interrupted by my accursed, tainted lycan blood. Leah and I were on our war to Jacob's dad's place, when Leah stopped the car in a small parking lot that overlooked First Beach. What happened next, I don't really know how to describe.

All I know is that it left me high on extasy. Extasy that I was still feeling, because Leah was still here with me.

Ecstasy that fled as quickly as it came, when I realized I had school today. I sighed softly, at least it was Wednesday; only three more days until the weekend. Two more days until Leah fills the majority of my time again.

I leaned away from Leah delicately. I squirmed gingerly to free myself from my voluntary prison of completeness. When I finally separated completely without waking Leah, I sat up and gazed at her for a long while.

She was so beautiful. Her copper skin, feather-like eye lashes, the soft oval of her face framed by her long black hair...

Every time I saw Leah, I wondered what I could have done to deserve such a splendid mate. My history, stained with dishonor didn't warrant such a reward I'm sure. It just doesn't make sense. There's the chance of coincidence, but that didn't seem like the answer either. The only conclusion that would sate my questioning mind:

God is watching me.

But why does he bless me with a new chance at life when I fucked off my last chance? I guess he sees something in me that I don't see myself.

I hope.

At the end of my personal revelations, Leah opened her eyes slowly. She blinked hard twice, stretched her body and rubbed her eyes with her palms. "Morning." She yawned.

"Leah..." I trailed off. I didn't know what to say.

"Hmm?" Leah ran a few fingers through her mussed black hair. She straightened it and stared at me, waiting for response.

"I love you." I said with every ounce of my heart. It's funny to think that I could barely utter the words last week in Volterra. Yet now, I can say those three little words more comfortably.

Leah's dark brown irises scanned my face. She sat up as well. The gray tank top she was wearing, hugged her body close. "Wow, all it took was a few kisses to get you to say it voluntarily? Without your technical bull shit?" Leah leaned closer to me and rested her chin on my shoulder. "I wonder what'll happen when you go all the way?" Leah nibbled on my earlobe. "You'll really _love_ me then." She whispered and laughed.

My spine erupted with a pleasureful, righteous flame of passion.

Well...The Ecstasy is back again.

Leave it to Leah to boil my blood at six forty in the morning.

"I don't know, or care." I struggled to keep my voice even. "As long as it's with you." I broke into a cold sweat even though it was a few degrees over ten celcius.

Leah took her head from my shoulder and sat straight up. She scrutinized my haphazard expression and my cold white eyes as they stared into my imaginary abyss. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Just thinking." I answered and refocused my eyes on Leah's questioning face.

"About?"

"What I did to deserve this."

"What do you mean?" Leah reached toward me and took my hand. Her hot fingers intertwined with mine.

"Why I have such a great girlfri..." I stopped. "Soulmate." I corrected. It was about time I started using the correct term.

Leah smiled a little at the distinction I made, but was clearly waiting for me to finish whatever I had to say.

"And why I have the Cullens as my new family." I rested my head on my other palm. "I don't deserve this considering my history and the things that I...Am."

"Kai." Leah let go of my hand. She raised both of hers and placed them on my cheeks. The rest of my body felt cold compared to my face. "Have you ever considered for one second that what happened to you and your family, wasn't your fault." She smiled and lightly slapped my cheek.

"Leah," I said. I had never seen the situation from that angle. Was Leah right? Was it really not my fault? I was unable to protect my family when they needed me most. I was unable to protect myself when faced with life or involuntary immortality. And I couldn't protect Leah when she fought that bastard on First Beach.

I was weak then.

"I should have been stronger." I said dryly. My cheeks tingled from Leah's warm hands as they caressed my skin.

"You're fifteen Malakai." Leah said loudly. "Fifteen!" She shouted. "You're suppossed to be protected, not do the protecting."

"Still..."

"Malakai, this world is twisted." Leah began. As she talked to me, she shook her head like it was common sense. "You can't be everyone's hero. If you try, the only thing you get is a shallow grave and a foolish burial."

Leah spoke with an intensity I had never seen before. Her gaze smoldered with liquid fire behind her eyelids. She captured and held my undivided attention prisoner as she spoke.

What she said made sense. And when she said it, she made me feel like everything was okay. But was it?

"Anyway," I forced a smile. "I have school."

"Yeah." Leah could still see I wasn't satisfied with myself. She didn't say anything about it. "You go get ready and I'll go make breakfast."

"Sounds like a plan." I said and swung both my legs out of the bed, stood and headed for the door. As I rounded the bed, Leah reached over and smacked my butt. I jumped and turned around.

Leah shrugged and the corners of her mouth curved upward. "What? That perma-frown you were wearing was pissing me off, I wanted it gone."

I walked through the door wearing a smirk. That one wasn't fake. "Suuuure Ms. Horny-water."

"Whatever Cull-fuck." I could here the smile she was wearing in her voice.

*** * ***

Forks High wasn't my least favorite place on Earth, but anywhere that wasn't Leah's side was anything less than favorable. I could be at her house, but without her, it could be just as cold as the north pole. The XLR purred its way into the driveway of my high school.

Leah and I couldn't avoid the envious stares of the upperclassmen as they leaned against their stationwagons, old trucks, and classic muscle cars that would have sold for a pretty penny had they been properly taken care of.

Leah turned the leather wrapped, black steering wheel to the left. She gently nudged the brake pedal to slow the car to a stop. Then engaged the emergency break by pulling the polished hardwood lever that was parallel to the gear shift. She twisted the keys in the ignition, turning off the engine, but left the keys in the on position.

"Well," Leah exhaled exasperatedly. She wasn't any more stoked about school than I was. "Doesn't class start soon?"

"Yeah." I huffed and gathered my white messenger bag from the floor. I slung the strap over my shoulder so the padded part would cushion my shoulder. "You gonna pick me up, or do I have to show a little leg to one of these snow bunnies for a ride home?" I gestured at the girls that had accumulated on the main sidewalk into the school.

They were standing next to the letter-wearing jocks, conversing by the looks of it. All looking at this black sports car with the charcoal, smoke tinted windows.

"I've seen your legs Kai." Leah sat her hands on her thighs. "They're nothing to write home about."

"Neither are those satellite dishes that you call ears." I said with a smile. There was nothing wrong with Leah's ears. That was just the best I could come up with at the moment.

Nevertheless, she raised a hand to the side of her face to examine her ears. Then my Eiffel 65 ringtone played from my iPhone's boisterous speakers. Since my phone was paired via bluetooth with the car, I didn't have to reach into my pocket to see who it was.

Jacob's name flashed on the windshield in a shade of cyan. I shrugged at Leah and tapped the talk icon on the iPhone's screen. "Hello?"

"Malakai," Jacob said. "Is Leah still with you?" He sounded a little annoyed for some reason.

"Yeah," Leah said strongly. "What's up almighty Alpha?"

"Billy said you two didn't make it over last night." Jacob's voice rang loudly throughout the Bose speakers. I was tempted to turn down the volume, but decided against it.

"Funny thing about that Jakey-poo" Leah took a glance at me wearing a sly smile.

"What's so funny about it?" Jake's irritation colored his voice. "The elders were at my house eating my food. Then when Sue went into the kitchen, she found an old issue of Playboy that I bought before Nessie came along." I heard him sigh on his end of the line. "Had a hell of a time explaining that to Billy when I got home."

"Leah was...I um..." I stuttered as I tried to formulate some half-assed excuse.

"We were busy." Leah said casually.

"With what?" Jake's edginess faded, but he was still interested in the reason we missed the meeting. "I took your spot on patrol last night, and your mom was at my place."

Leah glanced up at the ceiling of the car. "Malakai tried to touch me." She said like a little girl being a tattletale to her brother.

That wasn't what I was expecting her to say. "What?" I shouted and glared at Leah.

"What, you didn't?" Leah asked me mockingly. "Am I lying?"

I thought about saying no, but lying wasn't native to me. "That's not fair..." I mumbled. "You incited it."

"Oh Jake, Malakai is quite the..." Leah began, but was cut off by a cough as it projected itself through the speakers.

"Spare me the details." Jacob said. "I arranged for another meeting with the elders at my place for 6. Don't be late this time. And Malakai..."

"Yo." "Keep it in your pants buddy." Jacob's hearty laugh ended when he hung up the phone.

Leah was laughing too. Laughing so hard that tears were on the brink of her eyelids.

"Damnit, I don't have time for this." I muttered and pulled on the door handle, cracking the door. Some of the cool winter air poured into the car. I set my foot outside in the old, dirty snow.

"Bye Kai, see you at three." Leah said and turned the engine back on.

I swung my other leg out the door and stood up. I gave Leah one last smile before I turned around and trudged through the snow.

She didn't drive off immediately after I left the car like I suspected she would. She let the convertible hard top drop. Then, tapped the accelerator twice, hard enough for me to hear the twin turbos whistle as I neared the jocks and their girlfriends.

I glanced over my shoulder to see where Leah was. She was a few feet behind me as she made the loop around the parking lot to exit. Leah waved, and with another pump of the accelerator, she was gone.

"Dude," I felt a large, heavy hand clap against my back. I whirled around quickly to assess the situation. There was no threat, so I relaxed my muscles slightly. "Yes." "Do you think you could..." _...hook me up with that chick?_ I already knew where this steroid driven football player was headed. The hunger in his eyes betrayed him.

"No." I answered him before he could finish his question. I cleared my face of the wayward strands of hair that the wind had looked him in his blue eyes.

He shrugged and returned to his chat with his buddies. Although the conversation had taken an entirely different, perverse direction. I was sure of it with my supernatural hearing...and it almost pissed me off enough for me to punch each and every one of their lights out despite my abysmal fighting history.

I turned back around and continued to my geometry class. I opened the door to the large concrete school building and stepped inside. I made my way down the white, linoleum tiled halls and entered my classroom. Everyone in the room turned to look at me. It was quiet enough to hear someone drop a pin - not that I needed silence for that.

"Mr. Cullen." My geometry teacher, Ms. Gates peered at me over her reading glasses. "Why are you late?"

"No particular reason." I said. I could have allowed my wit to get the better of me, but I resisted. I simply told her the truth. "I misjudged the morning traffic."

"Well," Ms. Gates flipped through a few pages of the blue, teacher's edition geometry book she held. "Don't let it happen again."

"I'll try." I said and found a vacant desk near the door. I sat my bag on the floor; quietly so that I didn't interrupt class any longer than I already had. I angled myself toward the ground to look in my messenger bag. I shuffled through the various graded papers that littered the interior. Finally, I fished out my geometry book, a pencil a my royal blue spiral notebook.

Ms. Gates returned to her lesson of the alterior angles postulate. She talked on and on.

I rested my right elbow on the wooden desktop. Then laid my head on my upturned palm. I did my best to at least appear interested in the coursework being taught.

The clack of what sounded like a pencil hit the floor.

I glanced away from the board and to my left.

A girl about my height and seemingly my age bent over to pick up her purple pencil. Her short, black hair framed her face nicely. She sat up again and noticed me watching her. Observing is a much better word. She smiled and looked away coyly just like all the other girls around here when I mentioned my last name.

It turns out being a Cullen here in Forks comes with a few perks. Going to school everyday in a shiny, black Cadillac just so happens to be one of them. Every time I talked about my brothers...especially Edward, the women all seemed ready and willing to do whatever I wanted, just because I'm _related_ to him. To be honest...I was tempted once or twice...

"Mr. Cullen," Ms. Gates called, interrupting my speculation. Her nails clattered on the whiteboard. "Would you mind telling the class what you find so peculiar about Miss Briar?"

Did Ms. Gates always have to be so damn annoying?

I would give her the daily recommendation of Malakai wit if I didn't promise Carlisle I would tone it down for school. It was one of those conditions that we agreed to when he adopted me.

But tone down didn't mean turn off. "I was just wondering is all." I leaned back, into my seat. I thrust one hand in my pocket to finger my iPhone and left the other on the desktop.

"Wondering what?" Ms. Gates asked.

_Damn, does this lady have to be so damn annoying?_

"Wondering why the angles of that triangle you have on the board all add up to one-hundred-eighty-two, when a triangle is only supposed to have one-hundred-eighty degrees." I laughed to myself lightly.

The rest of the class all took another gander at the whiteboard.

To Ms. Gate's surprise, I was right. ...As usual, might I add.

I didn't want to call her out on her egg-faced mistake, but I just didn't like the unwanted, extra attention Ms. Gates was giving me.

"You're right." Ms. Gates said. She shifted her glasses so they sat on the tip of her nose. Her face was slightly pink. I was unsure if it was from the embarrassment from her mistake, or from anger at me for pointing it out.

I glanced to my left again to see that Ms. Briar was still smiling at me through her raven hair.I shot her a sly wink and returned my attention to my teacher.

Ms. Gate's shoes clacked on the floor as she walked to the front of the classroom. She found the dry eraser on her desk and used it to remove the geometrical error from the board. Then, she took the black marker from her shirt pocket and scribbled in numbers that made the equation correct. "Mr. Cullen," she placed the cap on the marker she held, and placed it on the silver tray at the bottom of the white board. "please try to stay focused on the lesson."

I smiled boastfully. "Always." I quietly purred to myself in comfort. I won that battle at least. But what would an argument with a high school geometry teacher get me? Nothing.

_Wait... I'm purring now? _

That was just par for the course. At least I know there's still a remnant of the snow white feline predator I used to be. Evidently, my blood's inflicted taint hadn't ruled that part completely out of the equation.

* * *

As twelve thirty finally ticked its way around the clock, the lunch bell rang. I was in the cafeteria lunch line at twelve thirty-one.

Having superhuman speed was one of the scarce benefits of being... ...A shapeshifter?

No, shapeshifters can voluntarily change forms. I can too, but when the moon was full last night I didn't have a choice on what form I I guess that's out.

...A lycan? That couldn't be it either. There were two minor details wrong with that theory. One: lycans are doggy-monsters. I just so happened to retain my catlike features when I phased. And two, according to all the lore surrounding them, lycans could only make the change in the full moon light. I could phase right now if I wanted to. Granted, it would probably, literally scare the shit out of the everyone in the cafeteria. Sam and Jacob would probably have a bitch about it too. Anyway, the point is, as of now I have no idea what I am.

The line moved forward. I took a step and grabbed a brown, plastic lunch try from the stack on the end of the stainless steel counter. It clanked against the counter as I plopped it down. I slid it along as I followed the line.

"Meatloaf?" The lunch lady looked like she stepped out of some cheesy sitcom about high school life. She had a plethora of moles and liver spots on her face, a hair net adorned the crown of her head and she was trying to push _some_ inedible food on me.

I took a another look at the brown and green mixture of meat and peppers. As if I needed to. My heightened sense of smell was now a curse. That concoction in the lunch lady's ladle smelled like shit on a hot rock.

"No thanks." I answered. The smile I tried to form surely looked crooked, so I dropped it.

Speaking of smells, I picked up a delicious scent. It was a blend of budding carnations and seemingly, strawberry candy. Of course, leave it to coincidence, the source of the intoxicating aroma was Ms. Briar; the same one from my early morning geometry fiasco. She was on her way to a desolate, white lunch table along the furthest wall of the cafeteria.

I sneaked a glance at her as she passed me.

Evidently, I wasn't too sneaky. Either that or she was watching me.

Briar thrust the hands at the end of her blue-sweatered arms into the pockets of her form fitting jeans. She acknowledged me with a coy smile, and continued on her way.

I steeled my instincts to remain in line. It was insanely difficult resisting the insatiable urge to leap over the brushed steel line barrier that separated me from her. I wanted a stronger whiff of her fragrance. I lusted for it.

"Then what is it that you would like to eat?" The lunch lady asked. The irritation in her voice was obvious. I guess she didn't like that I was dissatisfied with her cooking.

"Ummm," I trailed off. I wasn't aware that I lifted my hand to scratch the back of my head like I always do when I'm thinking.

The meatloaf wasn't an isolated incident. Everything behind the freshly windexed glass was equally disheveling.

"Two of those mini cartons of milk." I said when I spotted them on the shelf next to the register. The milk was sealed so I was ninety-nine percent certain that it wasn't screwed up, then again, there is always that one percent chance. "Please."

The lady gazed at me with guessing eyes. "Okay, anything else?" She shrugged at whatever mental uncertainty she was having.

"Nope, that's it."

"That'll be two dollars." She said as she punched in the digits on the cash register.

I reached into my pocket and removed my wallet. I opened it and gave the decrepit lunch lady the wrinkled five dollar bill that the black, leather trifold held. "Keep the change." I told her and grabbed both containers of milk as I walked aimlessly into the eating area.

Every table had groups of friends and classmates smiling and guffawing at each others jokes. All people whom I'd had the honor of not knowing. There was a vacant table near the back of the cafeteria.

I sauntered to it and ungracefully plopped onto the cool metal of the bench that was built into the table. The clock across the room read: twelve thirty-seven. That meant another half hour of boredom in this hell hole.

Yay.

I opened one carton of milk and brought it to my lips. I sipped it slowly. Then Briar's scent filled my flared nostrils. I narrowed my eyes and glanced around me, low an behold, Ms. Briar walked around the table to sit across from me, carrying her lunch tray that held a few apples.

"Hi." She smiled and set both of her hands flat on the table top.

"Yo." I said cooly, and took another sip of my milk. Masking my desire for her, I met her stare. When I did, I couldn't take my eyes away from hers. Where did this desire come from? I wasn't attracted to her, and if I was, then I was unaware of it.

What is it about this girl?

"You know, this is where your family used to sit before they graduated." Briar said. It was more of a statement than a question. "I'm Cathrine by the way."

"I didn't know that." I said in response to her first comment. I drained the remainder of the milk from my first carton and sat it on the table. "Malakai." I pointed a finger at my face. "Why doesn't anyone sit here anymore?"

"I don't know..." She tilted her head to the left, in what looked to be thought. "Why do you always eat alone?"

_What does this girl want? _

_Why do I want her?_

I shrugged and answered her question. "I'm the type of guy people don't want around." I fumbled with the fold-out spout of my second milk carton. Then opened it. All the while, maintaining my gaze on Cathrine.

Her smile fell slightly and her eyes softened, like she felt sorry for me.

The last thing I want is someone's pity. I do still have pride.

Before I could inform her of that, she said: "Or maybe you're the type of guy that people _don't_ know they _do_ want around." Cathrine grabbed an apple from her lunch tray and bit into it.

I stared at her vacantly, unaware of why I was doing so in the first place. All the while, I repeatedly asked myself the same questions:

_What is with this girl?_

_Does this chick know me?_

"Yeah, maybe." I grumbled and drained the rest of the milk from the second carton.

"Don't you have biology next period?" Cathrine said finally, after she finished chewing. Then she took another crunching bite from the green and red Fuji apple.

"Yeah, Mr. Weber." I said.

"I knew we had another class together!" Cathrine finished her apple and clapped her hands excitedly. She took a quick loot at her wrist. "It's almost time for class, walk me?"

For some reason unbeknown to me, I couldn't tell her no, as much as I would like to. As much as I _needed _to. "Alright." I sighed to myself and stood. I gathered my two empty milk cartons and took put them on Cathrine's tray. Then, I took her tray and walked to the trash can that was on the way to class. She smiled that same smile and trailed behind me. Her scent a fragrant feast for my sense of smell.

* * *

"...And that's all for class today." Mr. Weber pushed his bifocals higher up on the bridge of his nose. "Don't forget you guys have presentations due Friday." He took his slate colored coat from his chair back and put it on. "That's only two days away."

I raised my hand to ask a question.

Mr. Weber pointed at me. "Mr. Cullen." He said.

"You didn't assign any presentation due for this Friday." I sat my hand on the lab table.

"I didn't?" He turned around to the side of the board he usually writes homework assignments. "I didn't." He said, this time it was a confirmation.

"So..."

"Consider it assigned." He faced us again with a wicked smile on his face. "One presentation on any biological system of the human body. Visuals wont hurt your grade, but not having them will. Both partners will split the work fifty-fifty..." Mr. Weber went on and on.

"Damnit." I whispered into the collar of my own jacket, ignoring whatever else Mr. Weber said.

"Partner up, only five minutes left before you all can go home." He leaned against the wall, facing the doorway now. He was clearly happy that the school day was over. "Get each others phone numbers so you can work on this."

Someone lightly clapped their hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Cathrine...still smiling sweetly. "Wanna be my partner Kai?" I didn't even have to tell her my nickname. I guess it was self explanatory.

"Sure." I said with little enthusiasm.

"Let me see your phone real quick."

"Here." I reached into my pocket and pulled out my iPhone. I unplugged my headphones and handed the phone to Cathrine.

Cathrine navigated through menus and to get to the dial pad.

I wheeled back around so I didn't look too conspicuous. The last thing I needed was to get my phone confiscated. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye.

"Here's my number." Cathrine reached her hand into my jacket and put my phone in the inner pocket and remover her hand.

The final bell of the day rang. All the students in my classroom got up and rushed out of the door. Thirty seconds after school was dismissed, not even Mr. Weber was in the classroom. I drew my messenger back from the floor and sauntered out of the classroom.

Cathrine walked by my side. "You're going to call me, right?" She said. It sounded like she was pleading, but the look on her face seemed too strong for it.

I held the door open for Cathrine and we both walked outside into the parking lot. I stopped for a second, realizing that maybe I had given her the wrong inflection. "You know, I have a girlfriend."

Cathrine's boots barely made footprints in the hard snow. "Yeah I know."

I closed the door and descended the steps with her.

"I was hoping we could be friends."

"Ah, okay." I guess I got a little conceited in my time spent with Leah. Not every girl wanted to be with me now, just because I was dating Leah. I relaxed a little when she said 'friends'. "

You need a way home?" I asked Cathrine.

"Nope, my dad is on his way. I'll be fine."

"You sure? I can wait with you until he gets here." I said. There is still a little gentleman left in me...Somewhere.

"Run along to your girlfriend." Cathrine shot me a sly smile, suggesting something that would probably redden my face had I gotten the message. She swept a hand out in front of her, pointing. "She's waiting."

I looked in the direction Cathrine pointed. My black XLR purred in a parking space not too far away. The passenger side window was down and I could see Leah beaming at me through it.

"I'll catch you tomorrow." I waved at Cathrine.

Not waiting for a response, I jogged toward my car. The snow crunched beneath my feet until I opened the door and climbed inside.

"Hey." Leah said. She rolled up the window and leaned over to give me a brief kiss. "Think about what we talked about this morning?"

I had completely forgotten about our conversation this morning. All courtesy of my mental fiasco today. "Nope."

She pushed me playfully. "Ass." Then she leaned forward to look out of my window. "Who is that?"

"A friend." I answered and laid my head on the headrest. "

I thought you didn't have friends here."

"Me too." I closed my eyes, reflecting on the day's events. "Me too..."

* * *

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	17. Council

**Malakai**

"Leah," I said as I opened the car door and placed one foot into a puddle that had accumulated from melting snow. I grabbed my black wool coat and put it on. "Didn't Jake say we shouldn't be late for that meeting tonight?"

I exited the car and stood up. I withdrew my iPhone from my pants pocket, tapped the sole black button under the screen. The clock read 4:50. "It's almost five."

Leah ignored my reminder, like I knew she would. She strode casually through the parking lot, toward the automatic glass doors of the Macy's department store. She stopped and stood in front of them.

I took my sweet time catching up with her. I didn't want to run. Granted, it was warm enough to melt snow, but it was still cold enough for the chill of the wind to make my lungs burn from a brisk walk.

Leah turned around to give me a faux-angry glare. When she saw that my expression didn't change, she smiled and stuck her tongue out at me. Then she smacked her butt and shook it at me.

She looked a little confused when I pointed behind her. A short, round-faced sales clerk had taken the liberty of enjoying Leah's little taunt. I don't blame him; I did too. Leah turned to him and gave him an embarrassed smile.

He winked at her and returned to his work.

I approached her. The remnants of yesterday's snow crunched beneath my feet.

Leah stared at me as an exasperated sigh escaped her lips. "Weren't you the one complaining about being late?"

I shrugged and an older couple passed by us and entered the store. "Yeah. But you still haven't told me why we're here."

A frigid wind blew a few strands of Leah's black hair into her face. She didn't so much as flinch. I crossed my arms on my chest to retain more warmth.

"I just wanna pick something up." Leah informed me. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Is that alright with you your highness?" She said sarcastically.

"I could get used to that name." I said with a smirk.

"Well don't." Leah shot back. "I was being sarcastic anyway." Leah smiled that million-dollar smile that I've grown so attached to seeing. Every time she does, my heart flutters; this time was no exception. Leah's ears perked up. "Damn, Kai. Does everything I do make you happy?"

Leah hit the nail on the head with that question.

I shrugged and glanced around. Another cold breeze pushed the gray clouds across the forecasted, overcast sky. I shuddered. "Um." I could feel the sheepishness forming on my face. "Yeah." I answered truthfully.

Leah didn't acknowledge my answer. She looked at me sweetly. "C'mon. It's cold out here." She took my hand and led me into the Port Angeles Macy's branch.

The inside of the store was warmer than the outside. The brown tiles on the floor looked freshly mopped and waxed. A yellow wet floor sign adorned the ground next to the entrance. Racks of clothes littered the store everywhere I looked. And classical music could be heard faintly from the speakers on the ceiling.

The store was emptier than I thought it would be. The round-faced sales clerk that admired Leah's round…um, yeah, was helping the older couple that sauntered in just before us. He looked at us and held up a finger, silently saying that he'd be with us shortly.

He finished advising the man of the couple on the correct Hawaiian, floral print shirt. Then the sales clerk walked over to us with a genuine smile on his face. His green eyes flashed with interest.

"Hey," He said to Leah. He angled his body toward her, then turned to give me some attention. "I'm Vince. What can I help you two with?"

I let Leah answer, since I myself had no idea what we would need help with.

"Nothing, we're just passing through here to get into the mall." Leah said and grabbed my hand.

"Oh, well…" Vince's disappointment was evident on his face. "Have a good day. Ma'am." He nodded his head in Leah's direction. "Sir." He shook my hand before he stalked away.

Leah started through a few racks of clothes, toward the mall entrance. I followed her.

There were so many more people in the mall, than in that Macy's. It wasn't quite as crowded as the week before Christmas, when Alice took me shopping. However, there was still an inherent difficulty navigating. On the bright side, I'm a little taller, so I can see the bathroom sign over the sea of shoppers.

"Oh my gawd!" I shouted and smiled. I hadn't seen the Ms. Fields cookie shop the last time we were here. "I want some cookies!"

"Seriously?" Leah shook her head and sighed. "Such a kid." She smiled a little. "How do you expect me to see you as an adult?"

"I don't." I glanced around and rubbed my eyes. "How do _you_ expect to see _me_ as an adult?" I fired.

"Shut up and get your damn cookies." Leah hated it when I asked her the same question she asked me. But, at least it was a way to avoid not having an answer for her questions. "I'm gonna go grab what I came for. Meet me at that photo booth in five." Leah swept a hand toward the photo booth near the center fountain of the mall.

I pretended I was a soldier and snapped to attention. Then, I raised my hand in a salute. "Sir. Yes sir!"

"I'm not a sir."

"You coulda fooled me." I said in a hushed voice. But with Leah's hearing, I knew she caught my joke.

Leah raised her hand in an almost fist. The only finger not curled, was her extended middle finger. Then she wheeled around and stormed off in the opposite direction of me.

I stepped up to the counter of the Ms. Fields and leaned against it. I didn't need to take a look at the menu. I already knew exactly what I wanted: six white chocolate and macadamian nut nibblers. Yeah, those small cookies that you can eat in one bite.

The short-haired woman behind the counter smiled at me warmly, and said: "Welcome to Ms. Fields. What can I do for you?"

"Hi." I said and scratched the side of my face with an index finger. "I'll have the white -- "

"—Chocolate and macademia nut cookie?" The cookie lady finished for me. "To match that hair?"

I laughed to myself at that last bit. "Sure, I guess you could say that."

"How many do you want?"

"Six." Then, I stopped to think about my increased appetite. That, and the fact that I wasn't going home alone tonight, or back to the Cullen's; where the didn't eat cookies. So, I should probably order more than what was usually enough for me. "Err, fifty I mean."

"That's quite a jump." The woman slipped on some transparent gloves to gather my requested cookies. She reached behind her with pale hands, to grab two buckets to place my order in.

She set the two pails on the counter adjacent to my relaxed elbows. In about four handfuls, she carefully put my cookies in the pails. I could tell this woman knew what she was doing, not one of my cookies were squished or misshapen.

I heard the chimes of my iPhone and felt it vibrating in my pocket. I took it out and checked the caller I.D.. I was so sure it was Leah, but to my surprise, it wasn't. My phone said that it was Catherine calling.

I slid the green bar at the bottom of the screen to answer the phone. I put it to my ear.

"Hello." I said, my tone was fairly lax, considering I wanted to eat the girl on the other end of the line, earlier today.

"Kai!" Catherine's voice crackled through my handset. The background noise made it sound like she was still in a car. Then it hit me.

"Cath," I really didn't hope my assumption was right. "don't tell me your dad just came to pick you up."

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

The lady at the cookie counter waved her hand to get my attention. I guess she was done packing my order. She punched a few digits on the cash register and it made a ringing noise.

I took out my wallet and pulled out my credit card and handed it to the woman. "Doesn't matter." I said into my phone. "It's like, three hours later. Leah could have given you a ride home."

"Kai." I could hear Catherine huff an exasperated sigh. "It's okay, I walked to a friend's house. My dad picked me up from there."

"Oh, okay."

"I.D. please." The lady behind the counter extended her hand.

"Ah, I'm sorry." I pulled the forged, white plastic from my wallet and dropped it into her hand.

"No problem." The woman smiled sweetly. She took a quick glance at the picture on my identification card and at me. Then, she checked to make sure the names matched up. She put them onto the counter and slid me my American Express on top of my I.D.

"Why are you apologizing?" Catherine asked.

"I was buying cookies. I forgot to give this nice lady my I.D." I winked at the woman as my receipt finished printing.

"Get some for me." Catherine asked.

"No." I said calmly. At first I thought she was asking a question. Then I caught that it was more of a friendly command.

The cookie lady took off her gloves and brushed her hands on her red apron. She handed me my freshly printed receipt and my two buckets of cookies.

"Thanks." I grinned at her. I took my credit card and ID and returned them to my wallet.

When I turned to walk away, I felt the coolness of my loose hair brushing against my neck. I ran a hand through it to straighten it so it didn't look _completely_ "fucked up," as Leah would say.

I sauntered over to the photo booth near the fountain; the where Leah wanted to meet. I took a seat on the cool, blue and pink tiles of the fountain. I was careful to pick a spot that wasn't wet. The mist the fountain's rushing water generated, felt good on my arms.

I went to get a cookie from the first bucket but I realized I was still holding my phone up to my ear. Thus, I realized Catherine was pretty quiet on the other end.

"So, what was it that you needed?" I asked. The longing for a cookie became more difficult to resist.

"Oh yeah!" She said. I could practically hear her smile through her voice. "I wanted to know if I could come over to your house so we can do our project."

For a split second, I almost said yes. But I remembered Jacob's meeting at his house. "Um, tonight isn't really good for me. I have some business to handle."

"You sound like you're into something shady when you put it like that, Kai." Catherine said wryly.

"Well, I don't know how else to put it. Sorry." I didn't know how else to put it. I think that telling her I wasn't completely human would piss off Jacob and the others. It wouldn't sound any better telling her I had to impress some tribal leaders and talk about the reason I'm able to transform into a giant cat.

I looked past the bunches of people minding their own business. I could see Leah making her way toward me.

"Tomorrow we have to do it." Catherine said.

"Okay Catherine, I'll text you directions tomorrow."

"Call me Cathy." She said.

"Bye Cathy." With that, I pressed to section of my phone screen to end the phone call as Leah approached. I allowed for my phone screen to time out. Then, I set it on my thigh as I bit into a cookie.

"Who was that?" Leah asked. She sat down next to me. She placed the little black bag from the store, onto the ground. It was stuffed with decorational tissue paper, so I could not get a good look at the bag's contents.

"Catherine. The girl from school." I answered, nibbling into my cookie. Crumbs fell onto my shirt collar. _I'll get them later._ "So what's in the bag?"

Leah bristled at my question. "Don't worry about it." She reached over my lap, clearly attempting to ninja a cookie from one of my buckets.

"Nope." I smacked her hand. "Don't worry about my cookies."

Leah sighed. She looked at me and pouted. Her wide-eyed gaze melted my resolve. She was did it on purpose, and she knew she could. Despite my best efforts, I cracked and handed her a bucket of cookies.

"Thank you." She cooed. She pulled a cookie from the bucket and popped it into her mouth. Leah glanced around until her eyes rested on the black and silver photo booth next to us. "Kai, lets take some pictures."

I reached for my phone to check the time. But before I could press the button to illuminate the screen Leah snatched the handset from my hands.

"We have enough time Kai." Leah grasped my wrist and led me into the photo booth. The cookie crumbs from my collar fell onto the floor as I rose.

Inside, it was fairly simple. There was a bench, a color television screen, buttons on the wall to make selections and of course, a slot to accept payment.

Leah sat down first. She reached into her front pocket and removed a five dollar bill. She fed it into the bill slot on the wall of the machine. Then, Leah tugged on my wrist again, and pulled me into her lap.

I turned my head to meet Leah's eyes. I had no doubt that my face had grown red with embarrassment. "I can sit on my own, you know."

"Yeah," Leah pressed a few buttons, and then I heard the beeping to let us know that it was about to be shutter time. "But then you wouldn't have that nervous smile for the picture."

I said nothing. Leah really did know how to play this little lycanthrope leopard.

She set her hand just a little too far up my thigh, but I remained quiet. I had to fight the urge to squeal. I also had to fight the urge for a certain part of my anatomy to swell with excitement. Luckily, I won.

I heard the clicking of the shutter go off before I could compose myself for the picture. Then, the beeping began again.

Before I could grasp what was happening, Leah pressed her lips against my cheek. My blush reddened and the shutter clicked again.

I whipped my head round to face her. "Leah! I wasn't ready for any of tho-"

Leah cut me off midsentence with a kiss to my lips. It wasn't anything too severe, compared to the night before. Still, it did catch me off guard. Sadly, I didn't have enough time to revel in it before the third and final shutter clicked and Leah pulled away.

"I… Uh…" I had forgotten what it was that I was going to say.

Leah smirked at me slyly. She kissed my forehead and nudged me to my feet. She began to stand. "C'mon Kai, we don't wanna be late."

* * *

Leah and I wound our way up Jacob and Billy's muddy driveway. I'm glad I left my backpack in the car. If I dropped it, I would never be able to get it clean again. It was another stoic, quiet evening. The sky was the same shade of gray as it was in Port Angeles. The huge pine trees created a forest too dense to see into, on both sides of us.

"Leah," I asked I took my first step on the weathered, wooden porch. Leah didn't return my phone yet. She even turned off the clock on the HUD of the car. She said something about me complaining too much about time.

"If you ask me about the time," Leah turned to face me and continued walking. Backward. "I swear to God Kai."

"Never mind…" I said. I watched Leah open the old backdoor to Jacob's house and step inside. "Although, God Kai has a nice ring to it." I sauntered in behind Leah. We were in what looked to be a kitchen. A very, very cramped kitchen.

Jacob stood in the doorway to the next room, where I could hear the rumble of casual conversation. There were three. No four. Five voices? I may be a new creature, but these heightened senses are going to take some getting used to.

"Leah, where the hell were you guys? You're thirty minutes late." Jacob growled. He exuded a pissed off vibe, and I wasn't too excited to try and walk past him at this very moment.

"Sorry dude I —" I'm not sure what possessed me to speak in lieu of Leah. Perhaps it was because Jacob seemed like an imposing threat to her safety. _Look at Malakai, beginning to care._

"Kai." Jacob crossed his too-well developed forearms in front of him. "This is between me and my beta. Go into the living room."

_Just don't eat me._ I wanted to say as I maneuvered around him. I thought better of it though. This was a half wolf man. He probably would want to eat me if I thought to pose a threat to his chain of command.

I took my time walking into the living room. In side were some older looking Quileute. Sue was seated in a beige chair near the front door. One of the aged men looked like Jacob, so I assumed that he was Jacob's father, Billy. He sat on the old, beige couch with one other man.

One of them had his gray hair pulled back into a low ponytail. He resembled the Quil I had met a few days earlier. He was wiry, in a delicate way. He looked as though if I sneezed, I could possibly break him. Blue beads adorned his frail neck. A gray pendant with some unintelligible markings…

The same markings Leah and Jacob have tattooed on their right shoulders.

I stole another glance at Sue who was wearing a similar necklace; blue beads, strange pendant. Billy had one on as well. The other elderly tribesman did too.

I came to a stop in front of them. Every one of them wore a straight face. Any remnant of the conversation they were holding was long gone. They were quite intimidating actually. Even Sue, who had been one of the friendliest people on Christmas, had a different edge about her.

I bit the urge to take a step backward. I steeled my nerves and managed a smile that didn't feel forced. "Hello." I extended my hand to the old-looking Quil.

He didn't move at all.

I withdrew my hand and bowed my head slightly.

"Mr. Cullen." Jacob's elderly incarnate said. "I am Billy." He pointed to himself. "This is Sue." He pointed to Sue with his other hand. "Quil."

"We are the tribal council," Sue said. "or, the only ones that would agree to meet with you." She corrected.

"Cullen." The elderly Quil said my new name with disdain heavily lacing his voice. "He shouldn't even be allowed on the reservation. Then he makes _us_ wait." His brow furrowed. "Preposterous."

"Apologies." I inclined my head respectfully, in spite of the fact that Old Quil was pissing me off.

"Quil, stop." For that second, Sue's stone face softened. "I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose."

I refocused my eyes to the back of the room. Leah and Jacob had finished their conversation, by the looks of it. Jacob's arms were still crossed over his chest. Leah's had adopted that position as well.

"Let's start this off slow." Billy said. He placed his hand over his mouth as he yawned. "Where are you from?"

"San Diego." I answered.

"You shape-shift?" Asked Sue.

"Yes." I answered. "Into…" I trailed off.

I've only phased twice. Three times if you count what happened in the forest last night. Two of the three times I phased, it was into my four-legged leopard. The other time was into the cat-lycan combo? _I don't know._

"Into?" Sue pressed, clearing some of her hair from her face.

"I don't know." I broke into cold sweat. "The last time I phased, it was immensely painful, and it was into something I've never seen before." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "I've been afraid to phase after that."

"A pack member that's not a wolf?" Old Quil said mockingly.

I could hear Leah grind her teeth in the back of the room. Jacob muttered something into her ear that seemingly calmed her.

"This…" Old Quil stopped. He looked to be choosing his words carefully. "Half-breed deserves no place in our way of life. He is afraid of the power that is not meant for him to wield anyway." Old Quil raised his voice. "He shuns the right granted to so few of us now."

I cringed at the term _half-breed_. Was that what I really was; the bat in the war between the birds and the beasts?

"What race was your mother?" Billy completely disregarded Old Quil's harsh assessment of me.

"Native American." I said. I struggled to keep calm even in the face of Old Quil's insults.

"Tribe?" Billy continued interviewing me.

"Incan."

"Father?" Billy squinted his eyes. I couldn't see it, but I had a good feeling that gears were working full speed ahead, behind his eyelids.

"He was part German, part African." I said. "And that lovely mixture is how you got this beautiful Malakai." I smiled and laughed at my own joke.

By her laughter, I assumed that Sue enjoyed my humor as well. Leah stifled a chuckle in the back of the room too. Jacob placed his upturned palm over his face and shook his head.

"Do you not understand that we have business to attend to?" Old Quil barked from his seat. "Don't keep us waiting a day, then expect to handle this on your own time."

I'd had it.

"Well then." I closed my eyes and said with a cool tone. "How about you do something other than complain about your disdain for me."

Okay, I agree. Mouthing off to a member of the tribal council wasn't exactly the brightest thing for someone in my situation to do. Emotions really are quite great; they always know how to bypass my logic.

I cursed myself and prepared myself for Old Quil's retaliation.

Instead, Sam emerged from the hall behind Leah and Jacob. I saw his mouth move, but didn't hear what it was he said as he passed the two. His jaw was set and his eyes were cold.

"Respect him, Kai." Sam stopped a foot in front of me. His more than respectable height and muscle mass imposed itself in my personal space.

I saw Leah stiffen in my peripheral vision. She started forward; no doubt to come her imprintee's rescue. My rescue – Not that I needed one.

Jacob grabbed her forearm so she couldn't move any further. I heard him whisper not to interrupt, and that it was an order.

She stopped again. She looked conflicted, and I could understand why. She was compelled to come save me – again, not that I needed it – from the looming threat of her ex-boyfriend whom she still cared for. However, she was ordered by her Alpha and best friend, to remain where she was.

Prickly situation indeed.

I weighed my options. I could have taken a swing at Sam, but why start a fight I wasn't sure I could win. I could have backed away, but that wouldn't do much for my ego.

"He should respect me, then." I rotated my neck. I had to strech just in case Sam wasn't thinking with his best head.

"_You_ are here for evaluation." Sam cracked his knuckles.

"So true." I took a step to the left, hopefully to avoid confrontation.

Sam sidestepped as well, interposing himself between the elders and myself. "Apologize." Sam ordered.

"No." I said cooly. I cocked my head to the side. A few strands of my white hair obscured my face. I could feel my anger rushing up to my cheeks. they were tingling now.

I don't know what it was, but something I said caused Sam to clench hs fists at his sides. Maybe he's not used to being defied. I mean, he is an alpha.

I mirrored his movements.

"Finally, a real pack man has graced us with his presence." Old Quil spat, his voice colored with spite. "This weakling doesn't know where he is."

_Weakling._

That was it. All I did was lose my cool for a split-second. The next, I stood in a crouched position. My claws dug into the wooden planks on which I stood. I'd phased into the half-cat half-lycan monstrosity from the night before. I guess my suspicions were right; I will be shifting into this _thing_ when I phase.

I was in control of my emotions now. Luckily for Old Quil, I managed to reign them in before my godlike speed would allow me to rip his throat from his neck.

Sam phased after I did. He stood on all fours like every other shifter on this reservation. His black fur stood on end. His tail was straight up in the air. A low growl escaped from his bared teeth.

I lowered myself to the floor and layed down. I tapped the wood with the claw on my index finger. I brought my other hand to my face and purred a yawn.

The room was quiet. Billy, Sue and Old Quil sat in awe. Obviously, they haven't seen anything like me before.

"Let him pass, Sam." Billy said in a shaky voice.

Sam did as he was told and I walked to meet Billy on the couch. I licked my fangs with my feline tongue. They were sharper than I last remembered. Of course, I hadn't been completely coherent the last time I was in this form.

"He's a monstrocity." Old Quil said. His voice was much less brash, and a lot more respectful. "This is what we want to ally ourselves with?"

I turned my head toward him. I gave Old Quil a very, very toothy grin; fangs and all. I even gave him a mock meow. He should be grateful I didn't rip out his throat.

"And you can hear him in your pack's mindlink, Jacob?" Billy asked. His old eyes still seeming to reason with logic.

"Yes." Jacob said.

"Well, we should keep him around." Billy said. "We still need to figure him out." Billy turned around and shot a glance at Leah. "That, and the fact that Leah imprinted on him."

Leah smiled, shrugged and looked away.

"Don't make me regret this Malakai Cullen." Billy looked me square in the eyes. He seemed unfaltered by my grotesque physique.

I nodded slowly, as not to upset Sam. I'd really hate to have to kill him. Oh my gosh, look at me, boasting like I'm so sure I could do it.

Old Quil grunted.

"Meeting adjourned." Billy said.


End file.
